Enter Stage Left
by Celonhael
Summary: When Kagome grows late from her trip home, InuYasha learns some unsettling news. New enemies, enter stage left.
1. Chapter 1

The sky was overcast. There was little to no wind this day. It felt a little cooler than normal, which was good.  
They had returned to Kaede's hut, walking back to the familiar village. Izumi had travelled with them. She had said her goodbyes to the small fishing village where she had lived for a short while, thanking the old woman for taking her in, looking after her.  
She had said goodbye softly to Yuji, the man and woman speaking softly, a little aside from the others. It was apparent Yuji was upset Izumi was leaving, but she could no longer stay. Not that she remembered who she was, she had to leave. She could no longer remain and be Shisuta.  
They had walked back, in a subdued silence.  
They all seemed to be aware of the older woman's silence. Izumi seemed to be brooding over something, and no one really knew what to do or say. It was so unlike the woman.  
InuYasha was convinced it had something to do with Sesshomaru. He had seen them talking, and had seen Izumi sink to the sand to sit, looking up at the demon lord. Had seen Sesshomaru stride away, only to return seconds later. Their body posture had been that of an argument or something.  
He had wanted to go and find out what the hell was going on, but there had been a huge track of melted sand between him and them, and he would have had to take a long way around.  
By the time he was about to say to hell with it, and risk it, the woman had stood and had returned to them.  
The hanyou mentally sighed. He didn't know what he was supposed to do to help Izumi. Neither did Miroku. The monk felt there was more to the woman's quiet, that she was possibly mourning her loss of a connection to the Goddess Amaterasu.  
InuYasha had no idea how to fix _that_, either.  
Kaede had been glad to see them, and had set about fixing up the smaller hut near hers for the woman to live in. It was the older one InuYasha and his friends had used before, but it had been a while since they had been in it. Now it was swept out, aired out, and ready for Izumi and the others. Between Kaede's and Izumi's huts, there should be room for everyone.  
Six days had passed. Izumi was resting, and no one really knew where to go after this, or what to do. Mikado had promised Miroku she would show up as soon as possible, and Izumi was feeling somewhat cranky over that as well. She did not know the Celestial Plane had come under attack, and was wondering why Mikado seemed so blase about the whole thing.  
Kagome and InuYasha had gone back to visit her family. InuYasha only stayed a night, not wanting to intrude too much. He was still nervous about doing something to upset Kagome, and have her regret giving him another chance.  
She stayed over there for two more days, and should be returning some time today, although she wasn't sure just when. She had left her sword with him, as usual, not wanting her mother to see it.  
He sat outside, back against the old woman's hut, arms crossed, eyes closed, trying to find some way to make sense of everything that had happened.  
Izumi had told him he hadn't been to blame for her death, but...he still felt there must have been _something_ he had done. None of it made _any_ sense. She said she made a mistake, but _what_? What kind of mistake made a Senmin die? Pull a flaming mountain down on top of herself, obliterating an island, destroying a village's wharf, and killing herself?  
He tapped his fingers on his upper arm, trying to think.  
Just when he'd almost think he was getting a handle on something, that damn image would come to him again, Izumi, sitting on the sand, looking up at Sesshomaru. They had been too far for him to see any expression that might have been on her face, but he still didn't like the looks of it.  
Damnit, there was too much going on, he couldn't concentrate on anything!

Kagome threw her backpack up through the well, and climbed up behind it. She sat on the edge with a whoosh of breath. Sometimes that well seemed like it was over a hundred feet deep. And the more she carried on her back, the deeper it was!  
Well, she was here now. She brought food, medical things, and a few magazines. She hoped reading them might give Izumi something to do besides feel so down. She hoped to distract her by showing the woman the fashions of her time.  
It was a lame attempt to try and lift the other woman's spirits, but she knew of nothing else to even try.  
She picked up her backpack, and started walking from the well, letting the backpack dangle from her hands.  
_We definately have to find some way to help her. Mikado still hasn't shown up, and it's starting to worry Izumi. It's worrying me too. How long can a battle rage, anyway?_  
She sighed, deeply.  
Kagome had only walked about a minute, when she looked up on the path, and blinked to see, of all people, Kikyo.  
The other woman stood there, watching her, her face cold and angry. Kagome halted, feeling uneasy, for some reason.  
She didn't know why, not really. Except that InuYasha had told Kikyo, to her face, that his place was with Kagome now. Sango had told her how angry, how upset, the other woman had been.  
_Even though I'm glad I won, I can't help but feel a little sorry for her. I can't imagine how I would feel if I thought the man I loved cast me aside for someone else._  
Well...actually, she could. That's what caused the great fight and rift that had formed between her and InuYasha. The rift that was finally closed. But still...  
"Um...hello...Kikyo," Kagome said, weakly.  
"Do you have the Shikon?" the priestess asked, bluntly.  
Kagome blinked, and nodded, lightly touching her shirt where it rested against her cleavage, "I do, yes."  
"Give it to me."  
Kagome blinked again. She still wanted it?  
"Kikyo..."  
"I said give it to me, Kagome," Kikyo said, her voice angry, "Didn't InuYasha tell you? I let you have it for a while, but now it returns to me."  
Kagome's stomach rolled a little. Great, something else to be upset over.  
"No."  
"Kagome!"  
"No, Kikyo. I'm sorry. I know you spent you entire life guarding this, protecting it. You have every right to feel that it belongs with you again. But it doesn't. I need it for what's to come. The Handmaiden of Amaterasu told me that I have to carry it now. To use it."  
Kikyo's face was red with anger, "You think you understand me? You think you know me? You don't know anything. You're a little girl, playing at being a woman, and you're going to be killed as a result."  
Kagome blinked.  
"Not that it matters," Kikyo said, her anger swiftly dying out. She half turned, as if no longer interested in the conversation, "When you die, both InuYasha and the Shikon will come back to me. Where they belong."  
_What a hateful thing to say!_ Kagome thought, a little shocked, _She's practically wishing I were dead._  
"Well...if I die, then you can have the Shikon. I won't need it anymore. And if InuYasha wants to return to you, that's ok too. I won't be around to know, I guess."  
The priestess shot Kagome a hate-filled glance, and Kagome tried to remain calm.  
"Until then, the Shikon stays with me. I don't know why you'd ever want it again anyway. This is your chance to start the life you wanted. Free from responsibility and strife. Go find a village and start anew, as a priestess or not. You're free, Kikyo."  
"You are such a fool, it pains me to even speak to you."  
Kikyo turned, and strode off into the forest shadows.  
Kagome remained where she was, feeling her heart pound a little. She hadn't expected that, certainly not today. The priestess' anger was like a cold wind.  
She was glad InuYasha hadn't been there.  
_He told Kikyo, to her face, that his place was with me now, but...I think I'll always doubt, a teeny tiny bit. Always worry a little. Way in back. But I won't ever let it show. I won't ever let it strain anything with him. I told him I'd try my best at this, too, not just him._  
Kagome breathed yet another deep sigh, and started on her way again.  
She hadn't gone more than two minutes from her encounter with Kikyo, when she heard her name being called.  
Curious, she turned, to see a tall, strange man walking quickly towards her.  
"Kagome?"  
She stopped, looking back at him, "Um..yes?"  
He walked up, looking down at her. His face seemed pleasant enough, light brown eyes, dark brown hair.  
"You _are_ Kagome, yes?"  
"That's right. Can...can I help you?"  
The man looked sternly at her, "You need to give the Shikon back to the Priestess."  
Kagome blinked, shocked.  
"She sent _you_ after me!? I don't believe it!" Kagome heard her voice getting a little sharp, a little shrill, "Look, I'll tell you the same thing I told her. No. The Shikon is mine now. I have to use it. Maybe when all this is over, if she still wants it so badly, we can work something out. But right now I need it. It's my weapon, sort of."  
"You're being very childish."  
Kagome looked at the man as if he were insane. She shook her head.  
"This conversation is over. Tell Kikyo she might as well stop. I'm not giving it to her, at least not now."  
Kagome turned, and started to march back towards the village, where her friends were probably waiting for her. She was starting to seethe. She couldn't believe Kikyo had sicced some poor soul on her, getting a complete stranger involved in what was going on!  
Kagome suddenly felt a hand grasp her arm, just above the wrist, hard, yanking her to a stop.  
She started to turn, anger roaring up inside her, "I _said she can't-_"  
And looked into the face of Jemu.  
The man stood as tall as ever, bald, save for one waist-length scalp lock. He wore a black shirt and pants, much like a uniform. One ice green eyes glittered at her; the other side of his face and other eye were covered with a silver half-mask.  
Kirara had ruined that side of his face during the battle.  
The battle for Kagome's heart and soul.  
Her anger died as quickly as icy water on a fire. Fear raised it's head instead.  
Kagome forgot the Shikon, she forgot anything. All that filled her heart and mind was a blind, panicking fear. Her chest ached with the memory of the agony he had visited on her each time she disobeyed him, or was slow top respond.  
_"NO!"_ she screamed, and tried to lunge away.  
Jemu's grip on her arm was like a vise, and she couldn't move.  
Panicking, she battered at him with her backpack wildly, trying to tear loose.  
Grinning, Jemu tore the backpack from her hands, throwing it hard to the side.  
"Ah. You haven't forgotten me. How sweet."  
_"Let go of me! NO!"_  
She tore at his hand, trying to weaken it enough to get clear.  
"I'm very vexed with you, Sweet," Jemu said, his voice hard, "You disobeyed me. That makes me angry."  
Jemu lifted his other hand, and slapped Kagome across the face, hard, then backhanded her, the retort loud. Kagome cried out in pain and shock.  
She lifted a foot, and kicked the Shadeling in the leg, hard.  
Jemu didn't flinch.  
"I see you're still not listening."  
Jemu reached out, and grabbed a handful of Kagome's hair. Turning in place, he literally threw her, hard, where she crashed into the brush, bouncing off and landing hard on the ground.  
Kagome sobbed, crawling to her feet. She had to get away. Jemu would kill her. He'd kill her outright.  
As Kagome tried to get to her feet, her leg gave out, and she staggered. Whimpering, she tried to half-run, half-stagger to the safety of the forest, with Jemu walking right behind her, grinning.  
"Can't run? Shame."  
He reached out, and grabbed a handful of her hair again, yanking her backward.  
"No!" Kagome sobbed, "No! InuYasha! _INUYASHA!"_  
"He's not here, you stupid little bitch," Jemu grinned, shaking Kagome violently, "Not even he can hear this far.  
Now, what should we do with you?"  
Kagome struggled, and he grabbed her shoulder, hard. The shoulder she had recently been injured in. Pain lanced up and down her arm.  
Sobbing, she turned, and sank her teeth into his arm, biting hard and deep.  
Jemu squawked in pain and shock, pulling back. Kagome lunged backwards, leaving Jemu with a handful of black hair.  
Again, she tried to run.  
Jemu grabbed her by the back of her shirt, and turned, shoving her hard, pushing her forward, where she went crashing into a tree.  
Stars flashed before her eyes, and her legs gave out. Her back to the tree, Kagome slowly sank to the ground, eyes dazed.  
Way back, in the back of her mind, Kagome was screaming at herself to get up, to run. But her body felt heavy and dulled. As if she were numb from the neck down. She heard Jemu walk towards her, felt him grab her hair and shirt, felt him lift her up.  
"I'm going to squeeze your neck until your head pops off," Jemu grinned.  
A few seconds later, she heard someone else approach, heard someone else talk.  
"You need to put her down now."  
"No!"  
"_Now,_ Jemu."  
"NO! I want to kill her, Omek."  
"If you do, you are opening a huge can of worms. If you kill Kagome, _her_ side will be able to strike back, and we don't know how. Now. Put her down."  
Kagome felt herself land with a thud, and she sank down into blackness.

The child huddled in the bushes, wide-eyed, staring out. He had been gathering berries in the forest for his mother when heard two people talking. He had looked out to see two women talking. One he didn't know, the other he did. She was the preet, nice lady who had looked after him once when he was sick. She went around with the monk, the other pretty lady who killed demons, and the half demon person. The little boy couldn't remember her name, but he knew her well enough.  
The nice lady and the new lady talked, and the little boy could tell by their voices they were angry with each other. When the new lady left, he had been about to come out to talk to her, when a new man walked up. He talked to the nice lady for a minute, and then...  
He _changed!_  
His appearance, and even his clothing.  
And he started beating up the nice lady.  
The little boy huddled, terrified. He wished he could do something, but all he had was a basket half filled with berries, and he was so little. He was even little for his age, smaller than the other children in the village.  
Tears filled his eyes as the nice lady cried and yelled in pain.  
Then she fell against a tree and didn't move. Then a new man walked up, and they talked. It looked like the new man, the one called Omek, walked away with the funny-looking one with the silver mask behind him.  
The nice lady lay face down on the ground, and didn't move.  
The little boy shivered, and started to move out of the brush. Since he had hidden, the sun had moved a little, and it was getting colder.  
He walked over to the woman, and knelt down beside her, lightly touching her.  
"Miss? Are you...are you ok? Miss?"  
There was no answer.  
He started to cry a little. He was scared, and didn't know what to do.  
A horse whinnied.  
Terrified the strange-looking man was coming back, the little boy turned, and dove back into the brush.  
Seconds later, he saw two horses walk along the path, and right behind them, were two more.  
As he watched, 20 or so horses walked along the path, all with men on them, wearing armor. Two wagons were pulled near the back. One was red and gold, with dragons on the side. The one in back was a plain wooden one. The men carried poles with flags on them.  
The horses in front saw the woman lying on the path, and they stopped, stamping their feet.  
One of the men in front got off his horse, and walked over. He knelt, and turned the nice lady over.  
A voice came from within the red and gold wagon, a red curtain pushed back. The little boy couldn't see who was inside, but it was a man's voice.  
"What is it, Captain?"  
"A young lady, sire. She's beaten up. Unconscious."  
"Alone? Out here?"  
"So it seems," the captain looked around.  
There was a pause, then the man in the wagon spoke again, "How bad is she?"  
"She needs healing, my lord."  
Pause.  
"Carry her to the healing wagon, then, and get my healer to look after her."  
"At once, my lord."  
The captain picked the woman up, and carried her to the back of the plain looking wagon. He walked up some steps, and carried her inside. Then he came back out, got on his horse, and they all started on again.  
The little boy huddled in the bushes, terrifed, until the shadows moved again. Then he pushed his way out of the brush, and ran for his home.

"These vegetables look pretty good," Miroku said, pulling another one from Kaede's garden.  
"Considering how dry it's been, they're very good," Izumi agreed.  
The monk and the woman knelt in the garden, getting some vegetables for that night's supper. The sun was dipping low in the sky.  
"Thank goodness the river is nearby," Sango said, dusting off another vegetable, "It's been easy to keep them watered. Still. Izumi, is this heatwave part of the coming war?"  
Izumi nodded, "Yes. I'm not sure how or why, though. Mother Amaterasu wouldn't tell me. There are some things even a Handmaiden cannot know. Hopefully, the seasons will return to normal once it's all over."  
"_If_ it's ever over," came a voice, complaining, from behind them.  
Izumi turned to see InuYasha perched on the fence that ran along the vegetable garden. His arms were crossed, and he looked somewhat put out.  
"What's the matter, InuYasha?" Miroku asked.  
"Nothing," the hanyou grumbled.  
Sango softly laughed, "Kagome's late, and InuYasha's feeling left out."  
InuYasha blushed, "If she was going to stay another day she could have told me! I wouldn't have come back so soon."  
"Maybe she just lost track of time," Izumi said gently, "It can't be easy for her to catch up on everything when she returns."  
"Yeah...maybe..." InuYasha grumbled.  
The hanyou turned and looked in the direction of the well, expecting to see her walking towards the village, but there was still nothing.  
What was taking her so damn long?  
_I would have stayed another day if I knew she wasn't coming right back._  
"Ex..excuse me?" came a voice.  
They turned to see an older man walking swiftly towards them, holding a little boy by the hand. The little boy looked dirty and frightened, and as they drew closer, the hanyou could see the little boy had been crying.  
Miroku got up and dusted off his robes, and walked over, "Yes? Can I help you?"  
"My son. Tatsuo, he saw something in the forest. He needs to tell you, right away."  
"Saw something?" Miroku bent over a little, smiling charmingly at the little boy, "Was it a demon or something?"  
The little boy shook his head.  
"A wild animal?"  
The little boy shook his head.  
His father tugged lightly on his arm, "Tatsuo, please, you must tell them."  
Sango and Izumi had joined Miroku, and they all stood, looking at the little boy. Tatsuo stuck two fingers in his mouth, and started to suck them nervously, scared.  
Miroku knelt down on the ground, trying to be smaller, "Now then, you have nothing to be afraid of. You're safe now, and with your father. We certainly aren't going to hurt you, no matter what you have to tell us. We're listening. Go ahead."  
Tatsuo stared solemnly at the monk, then his face screwed up, and he started to cry, "He hurt her!"  
"Who hurt who?"  
"The man! The funny-looking man! He hit her and hit her and hit her!"  
Sango and Miroku exchanged glances. InuYasha frowned, and slipped off the fence, walking up to stand behind them, arms still crossed. Someone was beat up?  
"Calm down now," Miroku said gently, "Take a deep breath."  
Tatsuo did as he was told, his chest hitching with tears.  
"Now then. You saw someone, some woman, get hurt? When?"  
"Today. When I was picking berries."  
"What happened to the woman?"  
"She lay on the ground, really still."  
Another glance shared around the group. Sango spoke gently, "Did she get up after?"  
"N-No. Another man came and picked her up and put her in a wagon and left. The man in the red and gold wagon said to put her in the other wagon." Tetsuo scrubbed his eyes with his fists, smearing dirt and tears.  
"That doesn't sound good at all," Miroku murmured.  
"Did you recognise this woman?" Sango asked softly.  
Tatsuo nodded.  
"She's from this village?"  
A nod.  
"Do you know her name, Tatsuo?" Miroku asked.  
The little boy shook his head, "No, but _you_ do."  
The monk blinked, "I do?"  
Tatsuo nodded, "She travels with you, all the time, and she healed me when I was sick last week."  
There was a stunned silence, broken by InuYasha.  
"Kagome!? Do you mean _Kagome_!?"  
Tatsuo nodded, "Yeah, that's her name. Kagome. She called for you. I know _your_ name, 'cause it's different. She called for you, but I guess you didn't hear her," the little boy added miserably.  
"Where is she!?" InuYasha stepped forward, eyes wide, "Where did this happen!?"  
"Out where I was picking berries. Just a little way from the Bone Eater's Well."  
"What did he look like?" InuYasha demanded, pushing his way past Miroku and going down on one knee.  
The little boy looked like he was going to start crying again, "He was mean-looking. He had no hair, except for a long piece, and he wore armor, and..."  
"No hair, except for a long piece?" Sango asked, confused.  
But Miroku was one step ahead, "Was he wearing a mask made of silver, that covered only half his face?"  
The little boy nodded.  
"_Jemu!"_ Sango gasped.  
"Oh _Gods_," InuYasha cried, and turned, lunging from the village, heading up towards the well.  
Miroku and Sango were right behind him.  
Izumi looked at Tatsuo, her face pale, and spoke, "You said another man picked her up, dear? And put her in a wagon?"  
"That's right."  
"Were they carrying banners? Ah...bright cloths on poles and spears with symbols on them, maybe?"  
The little boy nodded again.  
Izumi bent down, and picked up a stick. She handed it to the little boy, "Tell me what color the banners were, and try to draw the symbol or picture on the flag, as best you remember."

InuYasha ran, flat out, a crimson streak in the forest, long silver hair streaming out behind him. His mind was a whirlwind of confusion, and fear. Fear for Kagome.  
How could he have been so _stupid!?_ He _knew_ Jemu was still out there! He should have _known_ the Shadeling would probably want revenge on Kagome for telling the others what he had planned, for having them defeat him, break the spell. The last Shadeling would definately want Kagome back.  
The little boy's voice echoed in his head as he ran.  
_"He hit her and hit her and hit her!  
She lay on the ground, really still.  
She called for you, but I guess you didn't hear her.  
She called for you."_  
Then someone...picked her up and put her in a wagon!? What the hell!?  
InuYasha broke into the clearing, still running towards the well, but he caught Kagome's scent, and he slid to a stop, silver hair fanning out around him.  
It was faint, as time had passed, but it was there.  
Kagome's scent.  
Kagome's scent, mixed with her fear, and blood.  
His heart pounded as he looked around, trying hard not to panic.  
"Kagome! _Kagome! Can you hear me!?"_  
Silence. Not even a bird.  
His eyes fell on a small glint of red, and he ran over, to see her smaller backpack, lying against a tree, the straps broken, the contents spilled out onto the ground. Not knowing what else to do, trying to fight back the desperation he was starting to feel, he crouched and started stuffing the spilled items back into the bag, thinking only that she would want them back.  
He stood up, ears starining for _any_ sound, nose searching for a fresher scent.  
In the setting sun, his hanyou eyes fell on something else lying on the ground, and he moved to it, Kagome's backpack dangling from one hand. Crouching, he bent, and picked it up, looking at it for a second before he realized he was looking at a hank of her hair, yanked from her head.  
His hand closed convulsively around the hair, tight.  
_"You bastard,_" he hissed.  
"InuYasha!"  
He looked up to see Sango and Miroku atop Kirara, angling down to where he stood, "Did you see any trace?"  
"Just her...her backpack," he said, voice thick with worry, "And..." he held out the hank of hair, speechless.  
Miroku flinched when he saw what InuYasha held, and spoke levelly, "From the air we could see a long trail of hoofprints. There must have been a platoon or something coming through. I don't know of any army that would be travelling in this direction, though."  
"Are you sure it's a portion of an army?" InuYasha turned to Miroku, "It could have been anyone!"  
Sango shook her head, "They kept a straight line even when there was room to spread out. That speaks of military training."  
"Why would they take _Kagome!?"_ InuYasha demanded, a cold feeling in his stomach. Kagome was attractive, and had been unconscious...  
Sango read the hanyou's expression, and shook her head again, "I don't think so, InuYasha. Tatsuo said that a man in a red and gold wagon said to put Kagome in another wagon. Red and gold sounds like the general or high ranking person. Anyone like that simply wouldn't see Kagome as anything other than a commoner. It sounds like he might have been concerned about her...condition."  
"Sango's right, there's no sense in panicking just yet, InuYasha. Let's follow the trail they've left. An army, even a smallish one, can't travel too quickly."  
"Right," InuYasha said, and turned, starting to run, following the tracks, Kagome's hair and backpack still in his hands.  
"I was going to ask him if he wanted to fly," Sango said, "But I think he'd rather run."  
Miroku nodded.

They followed the trail along the ground easily. 20 or so horses with wagons leave nice heavy trails, and as the sun set, they made good time.  
Until the trail suddenly, shockingly, ended. Right in the middle of a field, the hoofprints, wagonwheel ruts, everything, just ended, as if they had all stepped onto a ship or something.  
"What the _hell_!?" InuYasha snarled, looking around, growing frantic, and angry, "They can't have just _vanished_!"  
Miroku and Sango had dismounted Kirara, and were looking the trail over as well. Despite the hanyou's protests, it seemed they _had_ just vanished. Not a single blade of grass was out of place less than a foot from where they had been standing.  
Sango walked around, looking down, chewing lightly on a fingernail, "Hmmmmm."  
The monk turned to her, "Sango?"  
"InuYasha, Miroku. Look down. What do you see?"  
"I see a stupid trail that just ends in the middle of nowhere! Damnit!" InuYasha almost howled.  
Miroku gazed at the tracks, turning his head this way and that, then shook his head, "What am I looking at, Sango?"  
Sango, the demon-hunter, the tracker, pointed, "The tracks all spread out here. The people and the horses are milling around. See? They're not longer in their military order. They're just sort of wandering around."  
"You're right," Miroku blinked.  
"So!?" InuYasha demanded.  
Sango never took her eyes off the ground, "Easy InuYasha. I'm as worried as you are. Hmmm. Why would they suddenly break rank like that? It makes me think of when an army sets up camp. You know, spreads around, gathering wood, water, things like that. Only they're obviously not here."  
Miroku and InuYasha fell silent, waiting for Sango to work it through.  
The demon slayer walked around a little, looking here and there. Once she even got down on her knees and peered closely at the grass.  
After a moment, she stood up, and joined them.  
"I think, whatever happened, wasn't unexpected. I mean...they didn't just _vanish_ after all. Something picked them up and moved them. And they were expecting it. Ready for it."  
InuYasha's hackles rose, and he got a strange shiver down his spine.  
"Like that sphere thing that carried us to Lord Tarangoi's castle."  
Miroku nodded, but spoke, "It would have had to have been immense, though, to carry all those people and horses, not to mention at least two wagons."  
"You don't think Tarangoi took Kagome, do you!?"  
"Do you smell him, InuYasha?"  
The hanyou paused, then shook his head, "No, but...it's been so long, I might not even remember what he smelled like. But the people I _can_ smell seem unfamiliar to me."  
InuYasha fell silent. Had Lord Tarangoi somehow escaped his brother and come looking for revenge on Kagome? She had been the one to foil his plans on entrapping demons in his castle as protection.  
He looked down at the hank of Kagome's hair he held. That was where Kagome got that terrible scar on her shoulder. She had been trying to get InuYasha out of the castle, because Lord Tarangoi was going to use InuYasha as the capstone. The one demon...or half, in his case...that would be the final piece. He would force the other demons to protect the castle. His soul would have been ripped from his body, and imprisoned in the walls.  
Kagome had been trying to use the sphere to get InuYasha out when she had been struck with a crossbow bolt. And still, she had not hesitated, had pulled the lever that teleported InuYasha away from the castle, to safety.  
Her captors had removed the crossbow bolt badly, and it had scarred. She was always so self-conscious of that scar...  
He clenched his fist around the hair for a second, then wrapped it around his finger. Taking one of his own hairs, he tied it into a loop, and grimly tucked it inside his haori.  
"So what do we do now?" Sango was asking Miroku.  
"I have no idea, to be honest. We have no way of trailing them, no way of even knowing who they are."  
"I heard Izumi asking Tatsuo if he could describe the banners to her. Maybe Izumi will recognise who they are."  
"It's the only thing we have to go on, right now," Miroku said.  
They turned, and started back towards Kaede's hut.


	2. Location

Slowly, she arose from a murky blackness. Her body ached all over, including her face. Vaguely, she wondered what had happened to her.  
Groggy, she lifted a hand to her face, lightly touching. Her cheekbones ached, as did her jaw, as if she had been hit with something.  
Kagome clawed her way up to wakefulness.  
Blinking owlishly, she slowly sat up, her back complaining as she did, and she looked around.  
_Where am I?_  
She had no knowledge of where she was. This place...this wasn't her bedroom, and it wasn't Kaede's hut, either. The room itself was much bigger than Kaede's entire hut. There were beautiful woven tapestries hanging from the walls, of geisha and ladies in a garden. Tables lined one wall, with little bottles and things. The room dividers looked to be made of the finest rice paper, and there was a gorgeous haiku written on one:  
_The sun falls from high  
I watch it strike the water  
My heart goes with it._  
Candles were lit, in little jars of what looked like colored glass, making for a lovely reddish hue. Gold leaf lined the upper walls.  
The futon she sat in was thick with blankets of silk and a heavy wool one near the bottom. The silk here was red as well, with gold embroidery at the edges, in a symbol she didn't recognise. It looked like a leaf that was heavily curled at the end.  
Her voice, when she spoke, sounded tiny in that rich room.  
"Um...h-hello? Someone?"  
There was no answer.  
Kagome pushed back the silk sheets, and tried to stand up, but the room suddenly spun, and she fell back to her bottom with a thump.  
_How did I get here, wherever here is?_  
The door to her room slid back, and Kagome found herself looking at an unbelievably beautiful woman, looking back. She looked like a display doll, long hair up in very complicated knots and whorls with gemstone hair sticks. Her kimono was a brilliant yellow with red flowers. Her face was painted with a deft hand, and in one hand she carried a jeweled fan. Diamonds, or what looked like diamonds, dripped from her ears and throat. She looked to be several years older than herself, possibly 20 or so.  
Kagome found herself speechless.  
"Ah. You are awoken," the woman said, and she smiled, "We were worried about you."  
"I..uh..I...uh..."  
Mentally kicking herself in the butt, Kagome cleared her throat, and tried again, "Where...can you tell me where I am?"  
"Of course. You are in the palace of the Lord Haruki, the Rising Dragon."  
Kagome blinked, "Oh. Uh...How...how did I get here?"  
"The lord's men found you unconscious on the ground, and brought you here for healing. It had appeared you had been accosted. Are you in pain?"  
Kagome rubbed her cheek, thinking.  
_Unconscious? Accosted?_  
The beautiful woman slipped inside, looking closer at her, "Miss?"  
"Huh? Oh, uh...my face and my back ache a little. You...you said I was unconscious on the _ground?_"  
"I shall fetch you some medicine."  
The woman got up, and slipped outside, murmuring to someone just outside.  
Kagome started at her feet, lost in thought.  
_What happened to me? I...don't remember anything. I remember going into the well to come here, back to InuYasha and the others, then...I woke up here. What happened? And I certainly don't remember hearing of a Lord Haruki. Or a palace, anywhere near Kaede's village._  
She chewed on her lower lip.  
_Haruki. Radiant sunlight. A pretty impressive name for someone. Of course, he's royalty, so they often name their children with expressive names. Still.._  
The door slid back, and the woman came in again, carrying a cup of brewed tea. She handed it to Kagome, "Here. Now then. Yes, my Lord found you on the ground. He did not want to leave you there."  
Kagome sniffed the tea. She knew it was probably silly to be suspicious, but her time here in this world certainly gave her reason to be. She was pleased to discover she recognised what the tea was - she had brewed it herself for InuYasha and her friends from time to time. She sipped it.  
"Whatever happened to you, miss? It's a terrible thing to accost a woman and leave her lying there on the ground."  
Kagome shook her head, "I...I don't remember."  
She glanced down at herself, only to realize she was wearing a rather thin linen shift, and nothing else. No bra, no underwear, nothing.  
She looked up quickly, feeling sickly, "I wasn't naked when you found me, was I!?"  
The other woman quickly shook her head, "No, no. You were fully dressed, my Lord tells me."  
Kagome nodded. Good. While it was possible...it seemed unlikely some stranger would attack her, and rape her, only to redress her.  
"I was one of those who undressed you and helped with your injuries. I assure you there were only women there."  
Kagome smiled, "Oh, uh, thanks."  
She remembered it was so different here. In her time, Kagome had no trouble being looked at by a male doctor. In this feudal era, it would be very unlikely, only if there was no other choice, or it was life threatening. In some cases, especially if the woman was high ranking, simply being seen naked by a male doctor could cause her to be pronounced "tainted", and unfit for marriage.  
She touched her chest, relieved to feel the Shikon was still there. They hadn't removed it.  
"I hope you will forgive me if I say you wore very strange clothing, and...under things."  
Kagome softly laughed, "Yeah, I...um...come from a very very far away land."  
"Ah. That explains it. Regional clothing styles are so interesting, don't you agree?"  
"Sure," Kagome smiled, then spoke again.  
"So...um...when you found me, there wasn't any...anyone else around?"  
"My Lord tells me no. You were abandoned."  
Kagome looked into her teacup.  
_It's odd InuYasha wasn't there to greet me, he usually is...but not always, of course. I...I couldn't have been too close to the village. I __**know**__ if he had heard me fighting, InuYasha would have shown up. Unless...he was too hurt!?_  
"Are you alright?"  
Kagome looked up.  
The other woman spoke, "You suddenly looked so stricken."  
"I...I'm worried about my friends," Kagome said, "We're usually inseperable, and it's strange they didn't help me, or weren't there."  
"I am sorry. No, there was no sign of them."  
Kagome drained her tea, putting the fine porcelin cup on the floor beside her, "I didn't get your name."  
"Oh. I am called Lady Mai."  
Kagome smiled. Mai. Dance.  
"That's a lovely name, my Lady. Are you Lord Haruki's wife?"  
Mai laughed prettily, "Yes, I am. I am his second wife."  
Kagome blinked, "Oh. Uh. You're very lucky."  
Lady Mai smiled, "I am, yes."  
Kagome started to feel slightly woozy, and she rubbed her eyes, "That tea is starting to kick in."  
Lady Mai rose, "I shall leave you to your sleep, then...oh dear. I didn't get your name."  
Kagome lay back down, closing her eyes, "I'm Kagome."  
Lady Mai smiled, "That's a lovely name as well. Sleep now. You are safe here."  
Kagome felt herself drift down, deeper, and fell into sleep.

The next time Kagome awoke, she noticed several of the candles had burned down to nothing, but there was a pale light coming in through the walls of her room. It must be daylight outside, she thought, and slowly stood up.  
Crossing to the sliding door, she pushed it back, and found herself looking out over an enormous lake. The rising sun was dazzling as it struck the water, trees lining the edges. The willows there were literally dipping their long branches down into the water. Kagome just caught the flash of something under the water splash by as it hunted for insects.  
She was moved speechless for several moments as she took in the sight. It was breathtaking.  
"Oh...wow."  
"Good morning!"  
Kagome nearly rose a foot into the air, biting her lip to keep from shrieking, as she turned to see a young woman grinning at her.  
She was about Kohaku's age, maybe younger. She wore a fuchsia robe with black flowers embroidered on it, her short hair cut in a neat straight style. Her grin was huge.  
"You must be the new person I heard about last night! Your name is Kagome, right?"  
"That...that's right," Kagome tried to calm her pounding heart, "And who are you?"  
"I'm Lady Rio!"  
"Lady Rio? Is Lord Haruki your father?"  
"Yes, he is! He found you on the road, all beat up!" the young girl's eyes were huge, "Who beat you up? If you tell my father, he'll chase them down and beat _them_ up! Then they'll be sorry!"  
Kagome smiled, liking this vivid young girl, "I don't know who beat me up...I can't remember. But I really appreciate your father for helping me."  
Kagome found herself wondering if the young girl was Lady Mai's daughter, or the Lord's first wife's.  
"Mother told me to see if you were awake. If so, I was to bring you breakfast, and then you can come and meet the family!"  
"Oh. Uh..." Kagome suddenly felt very uneasy. She had no clothing, and didn't know these people. They were all obviously royalty, and in this world, Kagome would probably be considered common. She knew she spoke oddly, according to the villagers she met, and commoners didn't even speak the same way as the royalty.  
_Oh great. I'm going to be like a flea surrounded by lady bugs._  
"Soooo..." Rio grinned, "What do you want for breakfast? We have pheasant's eggs, grain bread, fresh fruit, wine, cheeses, cherry pastries..."  
As Rio rattled off a long list of delicacies, Kagome grabbed onto the two or three things she recognised, and beaming, Rio ran off to get them.  
She ate a cold breakfast of water, fruit, cherry pastries and "grain" bread which turned out to be wheat bread with honey. After the breakfast, she felt almost overloaded with sugar, and wondered if she was going to end up bouncing off the walls.  
"Now then!" Rio announced grandly, and walked to the sliding door. Pushing it back, she shook her arms until her long sleeves slid up, and imperiously clapped her hands.  
Three ladies came into the room, all bearing long flowing garments of brilliant colors.  
Kagome's cheeks flushed. Once again, she was being given clothing that cost more, even in this time, than her mother probably made in a month. She remembered, fondly, yet with a pang of sadness, the trip she had made to another world, a world where InuYasha's parents hadn't died, where he had grown up with them. He had wanted her to attend him at an event, and when she refused on the grounds she had nothing to wear, he had bought the finest, most expensive kimonos from the royal clothmaker. That InuYasha had been so different. Quieter, calmer, more complete.  
For the second time, she found herself wondering, sadly, what that other InuYasha was doing.  
"Now we shall get you washed, then dressed!" Rio commanded.

"What do you mean, you don't know!?" InuYasha demanded.  
"I don't _know_, InuYasha," Izumi explained, trying to keep calm. "I have never heard of anyone whose sigil is a curled leaf on a red field. I've never met anyone who carries that. No one. OR who carries the image of a dragon."  
"I thought Dragons were reserved for Emperors and possibly Shogun," Sango said.  
They were sitting outside, perched on Kaede's step. Even Kaede herself, and Shippo, were there, all listening, trying to decide what to do.  
"They are," Izumi said, nodding. "On the mainland, Chi 'Na, the five-clawed Dragon can ONLY be shown or displayed by the Emperor. To do so otherwise is a death penalty. Here in Nippon, the dragon is reserved for the emperor, or occasionally a favored Shogun."  
"So you're saying some Shogun has Kagome?" InuYasha sat on the fence, fidgeting badly, "Then why can't we find out his name and go there!?"  
"Because, there is no Shogun who carries a curled leaf as a symbol, InuYasha. It's an odd item to have as a symbol. Usually Shogun carry symbols of military. Swords. Katana. Arrows. A curled leaf is very strange."  
"So what are you saying?" he demanded.  
Izumi shook her head, not speaking. InuYasha saw her compress her lips, and suddenly grew alarmed. He knew that move.  
His own mother did it when she was keeping something from him she thought he didn't need to know.  
"Izumi? Tell me. I need to know."  
"InuYas-"  
"_Izumi_."  
She sighed, "If this person is unknown, yet flying a symbol of a dragon, it's likely he's not a Shogun. _Yet._"  
Miroku caught on at once, "You think he's going to be trying for the title of Warlord?"  
Izumi nodded, "I do. I think that may be why he was travelling through these lands. Perhaps looking for supporters."  
Miroku and Sango exchanged a dire look.  
InuYasha leaned forward, "Stop talking in riddles. What are you saying?"  
Izumi sighed, and rubbed her face tiredly, "I think Kagome was picked up by someone who's planning on starting all out war, either for the title of Shogun, or Emperor himself."  
InuYasha blinked, leaning back, wide-eyed.  
"Why...why would they want Kagome?"  
"It's possible they don't," Izumi said quickly, trying to impress that on the hanyou, "It _may_ have been a simpel act of kindness, InuYasha. Kagome was unconscious, and they may have just decided to pick her up and heal her as they moved."  
Darkness moved over InuYasha's face.  
"Yeah. You'll forgive me, Izumi, if I don't believe you. I haven't exactly seen a lot of human kindness in people looking for power."  
He looked away, scowling, worried. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he looked back, alarmed.  
"The Shikon!"  
Izumi said nothing. Miroku and Sango exchanged another glance.  
"If they find out she has it...they won't let her go, will they!?" InuYasha suddenly stood up, golden gaze on Izumi, "Or do you think that what they were after all this time!? You think they _knew_!?"  
"I don't know, InuYasha," Izumi said swiftly, "I don't know. There are a lot of things about this that I simply don't know...why the hells won't Mikado arrive? She'll be able to find out more. But...it's possible. She may have been picked up as an act of kindness...she may have been picked up and once they find out what she carries..._or_ she may have been picked up _because_ of the Shikon."  
"But she can't use it against humans," InuYasha growled, "It's stupid. It only works against demons or the Shadelings."  
Miroku spoke softly, "They may not know that, InuYasha. The Shikon's reputation preceeds it. Remember, people believe that anyone can wish on it, anyone can use it."  
"And perhaps it _can_ be used against humans," Izumi said gently. "Just because it hasn't been used that way before...perhaps it can. We don't know what Kagome is capable of with it."  
"Kagome wouldn't kill humans with it!"  
The older woman said nothing, then nodded, "I know, InuYasha. I was just...speaking aloud."  
InuYasha looked at her, then away. He was getting a very, very bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, and a growing frantic need to see Kagome.  
_They'll kill her. They'll kill Kagome for the Shikon. She won't give it up, I __**know**__ she won't. And they'll either kill her to get it or...force her to use it against her will. That's what Izumi meant. They'll..._  
He cursed loudly, and turned to Miroku, "What do we do!? We can't just sit here! They'll kill her!"  
"I don't see what we _can_ do, InuYasha."  
"Tell Mikado to get her ass down here! _Now_! I want answers!"  
"InuYasha...you...you know I can't..."  
"_Now_, Miroku. Or I start screaming for her myself. _Your_ way is likely to be a hell of a lot more polite."  
The monk sighed, and nodded. He closed his eyes.  
"I don't know what's taking her, anyway," Izumi complained lightly, "It's not like her to ignore her duties so much."  
InuYasha said nothing. All he could think about was Kagome. He didn't give a damn, right now, about the entire Celestial Plane. He wanted answers.  
After a moment, Miroku lifted his head, and he spoke.  
"She said she'll be here in a few hours."  
_"A few hours!?"_ InuYasha yelped.  
"That's the soonest she said she could come, InuYasha. I'm sorry, but she stressed it."  
InuYasha cursed loudly, and turned, pushing his way into the forest, burning in anger.  
"Is Kagome going to be alright?" Shippo asked, uneasy, as he watched the hanyou dissapear into the shadows.  
"I hope so," Sango said softly, "But there's simply nothing we can do right now. And InuYasha knows it."

In the forest, the hanyou paced along the path, his mind working a million miles an hour.  
_Damnit! I should have been smarter than this. I should have __**known**__ Jemu would want to get back at Kagome. And he's the only one out there. Why didn't I __**think**__? I should have been at the well, waiting for her. I should have __**stayed**__ over there and come back __**with**__ her! Now only the __**Gods**__ know what's happening to her, and all I can do is __**wait**__!_  
With a snarl, he turned, and slashed at the nearest tree, leaving five deep gouges in the bark, clear down to the paler heart of the wood.  
He stood, staring at the slashes, trying to get his breathing under control, trying to get his _anger_ under control.  
But just the thoughts that something might be happening to her, _right now,_ while he stood there, waiting...doing _nothing.._..  
_"She called for you."_  
_And I wasn't there. Godsdamnit!_  
If he could just _track_ her, somehow, if he could just close his eyes, and find some way of locating her, no matter where...  
He paused.  
Golden eyes narrowing, he stared at the gashes in the tree in front of him, as if reading a secret there only he could see. After a second, he turned, looking back towards Kaede's village, where the others were gathered.  
No. He didn't want them there, not for this. It would be hard enough, without a damn audience. He knew they didn't see things the way he did, and he knew he'd have to answer their angry questions later.  
But right now, he had to move, to take a gamble.  
He rummaged around, trying to find some way to leave a note for Miroku and the others. He didn't want to just dissapear.  
In the end, he used his claws to slash a short note into the tree, under his claw marks. Kirara, of no one else, would be able to catch his scent on the tree, and would lead Sango to the place, when they came looking.  
_Sorry, guys. But I need to do this alone._  
He turned, and took off into the forest, running flat out.

After bathing, Kagome was dressed in the long flowing kimono, her hair twisted up into a small swirl, held in place with jewelled hair pins. Her kimono was a brilliant blue with silver pinwheels on it. The way the pinwheels caught the light, Kagome was sure they must have been embroidered with real silver thread. Her Obi was a white color, with little red dots on it.  
She felt like an overdressed doll. For the second time, she was glad the ceremonial kimono they wore in her time were made looser, and little more comfortable. She honestly wasn't sure she could dress this way all the time.  
Given a mirror to examine herself, Kagome was startled to see she had a bruise on her right cheek, and there was a dark smudge under her left eye, where it had been swollen. She was lucky she didn't have two black eyes, from the look of it.  
_What happened to me?_  
The ladies put some make up on her, gently blending it in until most of the bruising was hidden, and then they stood.  
She was led out by the ladies and young Lady Rio. They walked up a very long hallway, with guards posted at all the entrances that led outside. Kagome felt a little awed at the military presence there, the guards with their armor and weapons. Lady Rio didn't even seem to notice them, so Kagome realized they must be there all the time.  
_Who on earth saved me?_  
Up a flight of stairs, down another, and along another long hallway. Everything was richly decorated. Silk. Gold leaf. Pearl and other gems. Silver and gold.  
_Well, Lady Mia said it was a palace, I...I guess she wasn't kidding. Only, I don't know of any palaces near Kaede's. What's going on?_  
"Here we are!" little Lady Rio announced, stopping at two huge double doors. Embossed on one of the doors was a bright red dragon, it's scales covered in red laquer and gold leaf. The eyes were green emralds.  
Kagome gaped.  
_Am...am I in the Emperor's palace? But...I've __**never**__ heard of an Emperor Haruki. But that dragon...that's a royal dragon, I'm sure of it..._  
The guards came forward, and opened the doors, revealing the room inside.  
Kagome couldn't help but stare.  
The room was _enormous_, once again, decorated mostly with red and gold tones. Silk cushions scattered around the room were sat upon by richly dressed officials and others. Some were holding scrolls and quills, others had things in their hands Kagome couldn't even recognise. Incense wafted in the air, faintly, almost there, and almost not.  
At the far end of the room, up on a dias, sat three people. They were seated upon red silk cushions.  
One was the Lady Mai. She was dressed in much the same way as the first time Kagome saw her. She held a fan to her face, but the way her eyes crinkled, Kagome guessed she was smiling at her. Lady Mai sat to the left of the man on the dias.  
To his right sat another woman. She was a little older than Lady Mai, but not by much. Her hair was black, and shorter than Mai's, but it too was done up in beautiful whorls, held in place with gemmed combs and pins. Her kimono was a lovely green, and there were gems sewn onto it. In the light they twinkled with a life of their own. Kagome guessed this must be the Lord's first wife. She watched Kagome with a strange, calculating expression.  
Lord Haruki sat in the center, and Kagome blinked at him.  
He was tall, and slender, with fine, aristocratic features. His eyes were very dark, as was his hair, which he wore up in a simple man's style, although Kagome could tell it was very long. He wore a pale blue man's kimono and pants, and sat cross legged on the dias. He smiled at her warmly, his eyes sparkling.  
Kagome felt herself blush. To say Lord Haruki was handsome was an understatement. He looked like some god or something, sitting in his royal palace, listening to lower people talking to him.  
_Whoo. Ok, calm down. You've seen handsome guys before._ Kagome mentally laughed at herself.  
Her eyes moved to just behind Lord Haruki's shoulder, and she stopped, blinking in shock.  
For a second, for a _split_ second, she thought Sesshomaru stood there.  
The person behind the Lord was very tall and slender, and stood almost unnaturally still. However, where the Lord Sesshomaru was light, this person was dark. He had black, black hair that fell to his shoulders, and his eyes were unbelievably dark. From here she couldn't tell, but Kagome thought they _might_ have been such a dark blue they _appeared_ black.  
But like Sesshomaru, this person had the same cold face, practically no emotion as he gazed at her, and almost through her.  
He had pointed ears, and what Kagome thought _might_ have been smallish horns protruding from his temples, angling backwards.  
A demon.  
She almost shrank back from that gaze, and instantly thought about the Shikon.  
_I hope I'm still shielding it. I don't want to tangle with him. Uh-uh, no way. He looks like he could bite my head off and walk away, munching._  
"So then, this is the young woman I found on the road. Kagome, your name is?"  
"That...that's right," Kagome said, then suddenly realized what she was doing. She gave a hasty and clumsy bow, "I'm so sorry, this is all so much..."  
Lord Haruki laughed, a sound warm and rich, and he spoke, "Do not bow, you are not one of my subjects, after all. How are you feeling?"  
Kagome looked back up at the three...four...on the dias above her. Lady Mai had lowered her fan, and was now smiling openly at her. Kagome took courage from that smile. Lord Haruki was watching her, smiling as well. The other woman still watched her curiously, and the demon never moved.  
Kagome didn't think he even _blinked_.  
"I'm feeling much better now, thank you! You...you probably saved my life."  
"What happened? Why were you attacked?"  
"I don't know," Kagome said, honestly, "I can't remember much of anything. Just...walking towards the village, and then...waking up here." She didn't say the last thing she remembered was the well...that would only confuse them.  
"Well...at least you are, indeed, alive."  
"I owe you my life," Kagome said, quietly, "But I have no way of repaying you. I'm not rich or...or anything."  
Lord Haruki laughed, and Kagome blushed again, lightly.  
"As you can see, I have no need of money. But I thank you for the thought. Is there anything else you would like before I return to my duties here?"  
"Uh...no, I...where are my other clothes?"  
"Alas, they were beyond repair. Badly bloodied and torn."  
"Oh..." Kagome felt uneasy. Who had hurt her?  
"Uh, well...I...I hate to ask this, but...if I could get something more...utilitarian? I really need to be going. All I need is something simple, you know, so I can walk and everything."  
A strange look came over Lord Haruki's face, and he leaned back a little, "Ah, yes. Lady Kagome, do you live near that path we found you on?"  
"Uh...yeah. I live in a village very near that. Why?"  
"Well...I'm afraid there may be a problem. You see, we are not from there. I was travelling there on business, and we returned to my home. We are not near that village."  
"What do you mean? I was only here a day or so, right? We can't be that far."  
"We are in Kintoung now."  
Kagome frowned, "Kintoung? I...I don't know the name of that place."  
_I've never heard of a Kintoung._  
Lord Haruki motioned to a man standing off to the side, "A map, please. Lady Kagome, you can read maps?"  
"Oh, yes. And please, don't call me La-"  
The man walked over to her, and handed her a map. Kagome's eyes instantly went to where Kaede's village was, near the modern day town of Tokyo. Her eyes started to rove around, looking for a place marked Kintoung.  
Trying to be helpful, the man pointed to a spot on the map.  
Kagome blinked, and gasped.  
"I'm down by Fukuoka!?"  
The Lord Haruki blinked.  
Kagome looked up, apalled, "_How did I get this far south!?"_  
"As I was saying, we moved back here."  
"But _how_?! You can't make that travel in a day, or even two!"  
"Well...normally not, no. But when you have the aid of a demon, it's rather easy."  
Lord Haruki motioned over his shoulder, to where the demon stood, still watching her.  
"Kanpeki here brought my entire scouting army back."  
Kagome looked at the demon, and felt a strange shiver as he gazed at her, with that same unconcerned predatory gaze Sesshomaru had.  
Kanpeki.  
Perfection.  
"He...he did that?"  
"Yes."  
"Then how...I...I have to get back. My friends will be so worried..."  
Lord Haruki nodded, "I understand. I will do my best to ensure you are returned as soon as possible, Lady Kagome. Unfortunately, right now, I cannot send you back, as I need Kanpeki here. Within a seven-day, I will have you returned."  
"I...thank you," Kagome said, not really having any choice. And this lord _could_ just say, "Oh well, too bad for you, don't let the door hit your ass on the way out!" At least he _was_ going to send her back.  
She bowed again, "Thank you. I appreciate it, very much."  
He smiled at her, and watched as she was led from the room, in the company of his daughter, Rio.  
When the doors closed behind them, Lady Mai spoke, "She's a pretty young thing, and friendly."  
"Indeed," Lord Haruki agreed.  
"A commoner, I think," the other woman spoke for the first time.  
"Now Lady Naoko," Lady Mai smiled, "Be nice. We weren't all born into a royal family, you know."  
Lady Naoko sniffed.  
"Little Rio will keep an eye on her," Lord Haruki said, "And that gives us time to work out what to do with her for now."  
The lord looked up, and motioned the next person waiting to speak to him to come forward.

InuYasha slowed his run as he approached the village. He could see there were two guards standing by the gate - something new. The last time he had been there, there hadn't been any guards posted.  
Trouble?  
As he walked towards them, one of the guards pulled a sword, and turned to face him.  
"What's wrong?" InuYasha asked, stepping into the torchlight, "Something wrong here?"  
"That's InuYasha," the other guard, a tall skinny demon said, "I know him. He's ok."  
The other guard, a short human, put his sword away, "Hhmp. Yeah, you could say that. Demons have been attacking the village the last few days."  
"Everything ok?"  
"Nothing we can't handle!" the short human protested.  
"What brings you here, InuYasha?" the tall, skinny demon asked. His eyes were a strange red color, and his skin was green. It made him look odd.  
"I need to talk to someone. Tristar."  
The skinny demon frowned, "You came all this way to talk to Tristar?"  
InuYasha crossed his arms, and scowled, "Not Tristar exactly. I need to talk to _him_."  
The human looked confused, _" 'Him' ?"_  
InuYasha glowered at the human, and spoke the name in disgust.  
"DarkWind."


	3. Moonlight on a lake, freezing cold water

Kagome was invited out for supper by Lady Mai and her attendants.  
"Lord Haruki is meeting with some men to discuss the upcoming battles and things. Men-talk. I thought you might like to come and dine with me, Lady Kagome. I don't want you becoming bored, or depressed while you wait."  
"Oh, that's very kind of you," Kagome smiled. She was seated at a lovely long table out in the garden after the sun had set. There were several women there, all adults, Kagome being the youngest there. They wore simpler gowns to sit comfortably, but they were still utter works of art. Tonight Kagome's was a dark green, with yellow butterflies on it.  
The table laid out before them had more food on it than Kagome had seen in a long time. There were dishes she didn't even know, couldn't recognise.  
Lady Mai introduced Lady Airi, who was a little older than she was, and Lady Shun, who was a great deal older. Mai explained they were visiting from the next city over, but were friends of Mai.  
"Please," Kagome said, after the introductions had been made, "I'm not a Lady. I can't claim that title at all."  
"Well, no matter," Lady Mai said, "Maybe Lord Haruki will give you the title!"  
Kagome blinked, "He...he wouldn't just give me a title like that!"  
"He probably would," Lady Airi laughed, "Lord Haruki loves to hand out treasures and gifts in that manner, and he's rather annoyed with whoever it was who attacked you. Imagine! Attacking a woman and leaving her for dead! Shocking!"  
"Yes," Lady Mai said, "If my husband ever finds out who did that, you can be sure he will take action."  
"Please, that's not necessary," Kagome said, smiling weakly, "I don't want anyone getting hurt or anything on my behalf."  
"Hurt?" Lady Shun declared, "Lord Haruki? Not likely! He's one of the best swordsmen out there, my dear. And if he isn't, that pet demon of his is!"  
"Pet demon?" Kagome blinked.  
Lady Mai looked pained, "Please, Lady Shun, don't call Kanpeki a pet. He's here entirely of his own violation, you know. It's not like Haruki owns him or something."  
"Still, he's there at his beck and call, whenever he needs something."  
"That's because Kanpeki is loyal," Lady Mai smiled, "He's loyal to my husband. But then, who wouldn't be? Lord Haruki is the most wonderful man alive."  
Kagome smiled down into her cup of tea, not saying anything.  
"Ahh," Lady Airi spoke, grinning, "Look at how Kagome smiles. I think she may disagree with you, Lady Mai."  
Kagome looked up, blinking, "What? No, no of course not!"  
Lady Mai laughed gently, "That smile said much, Kagome. Someone has taken your heart?"  
"Uh.." Kagome blushed brightly, and tried hard not to grin fooishly, "Uh, yeah."  
"Tell us what he is like!" Lady Airi declared, leaning forward. Lady Shun sighed slightly, obviously old enough that such things didn't fill her head with silliness.  
"He's...he..." she fell silent. How on earth to describe InuYasha?  
"He _is_ your lover, yes?" Lady Mai asked.  
Kagome tried not to blush again. In this era, one didn't call a boyfriend a 'boyfriend'. That generally just mean a male friend. They used the word lover. It always made Kagome feel a little giddy, though.  
"Yes, yes I do."  
"Well then. What does he look like? Tell us? Is he handsome?"  
"I..yes, he..." Kagome looked at her hands, trying to find the right words. She wasn't sure how they were going to react when she told them he was a hanyou. Kagome herself didn't care, but she owed a lot to these people, and if they started looking at her like she was crazy, or saying something about hanyou in general, she might get angry.  
_No. To hell with it. I'll never try to hide what he is. Damn the consequences._  
"His hair is long, and soft, and a beautiful silver color. And his eyes are a beautiful gold. His skin is sort of fair, too. He's _very_ strong. And he has a very soft voice when he wants to."  
Kagome was amused to discover she was blushing as brightly as if she were gossiping with her classmates about a crush.  
The women around her all blinked.  
"He's hanyou," Kagome said simply, and took a sip of her tea, waiting for their reactions.  
_"Hanyou!?"_ Lady Shun cried, aghast.  
Lady Mai and Lady Airi just blinked again, trying to get their heads around it. Lady Mai was the first to speak, "He...he's not dangerous to you, is he?"  
"Oh no, not at all. He's very gentle with me. He's very gentle, period. When he fights, he's powerful, so strong, and amazing, but to his friends and those he cares about, he's very gentle. He's kinda rough, but I...I love him."  
Lady Airi beamed, and clapped her hands happily, "Wonderful! I wish _my_ marriage to my husband were that wonderful."  
Kagome blinked.  
"Oh he's not bad to me," Lady Airi said, smiling, "Not bad at _all_. He's very kind and considerate and gentle. But he doesn't love me. It was a marriage of politics."  
"You could always do worse, Airi," Lady Shun said sternly.  
"Oh I know," Lady Airi said, nodding.  
"Are you married, then, Kagome, or is he your lover?" Lady Mai asked, pouring out some more tea for Kagome.  
"Oh no, no, we're not married. We...there are some things we have to do, before we...we even _consider_ marriage. We're helping some friends...do things."  
"Sooo.." Lady Airi leaned over, and asked Kagome, with a wicked grin on her face, "What's it like having a hanyou as a lover? Does he satisfy you?"  
Kagome started to choke on her tea, turning an alarming shade of red.  
"Airi, look what you did!" Lady Shun 'tsk'd', "what a thing to come out and ask!"  
"Well, I'm curious, is all!"  
Lady Mai laughed, and handed Kagome a small cloth to wipe her lips.  
"We...we haven't...I mean..."  
"But you said you were lovers," Airi asked, looking confused.  
"We are! I mean...we love each other! We just...it's complicated, is all," Kagome said, defensively, "It'll happen. Sometime."  
Lady Mai chuckled, and spoke, "Change of subject. Has anyone heard any new poems? I haven't heard any new ones in ages."

The sun had set and the moon was starting to rise by the time InuYasha was taken to Tristar's hut. It was small, but well tended. The garden out back was doing very well, which wasn't surprising, considering Tristar's talent. One of her talents, anyway.  
He walked up to the hut, and paused.  
He really didn't want to ask for DarkWind's help. At all. He didn't even really want to _see_ his _face_. He couldn't get the image of DarkWind and Kagome kissing that time out of his head. And even though she had released him, set him free, to go and live with Tristar, he couldn't help but wonder in the back of his head, what would happen if DarkWind ever changed his mind, and wanted to come back to Kagome.  
Making a fist, InuYasha rapped loudly on the door frame.  
"One minute," came a familiar, and hated voice, and the door covering was swept back, and DarkWind and InuYasha stood, face to face.  
DarkWind hadn't changed much. He wore the same clothing, a loose vest and somewhat tight-fitting pants, and boots that came halfway up his shin. His eyes were a very dark, a deep black, but there was no more reddish hints in them. He still had that long, midnight black braid, still had those lose bangs that fell over his forhead. He was missing the Kageri's sigil, though, from around his eye.  
The ex-Kageri blinked, startled.  
"InuYasha-Warrior? What on earth..." he suddenly grinned, happily, "Have you come to visit?"  
"Not likely," InuYasha growled, "I need your help. Shut up and listen."  
DarkWind blinked again.  
"It...it's Kagome."  
Now DarkWind looked alarmed, "Please, come inside, InuYasha-Warrior, that we may talk."  
Grumbling, InuYasha stepped inside, and looked around.  
The hut was simple and small, clean, and well tended. Something was cooking over the central fire, and it smelled rather good.  
"Now then," DarkWind, after giving the pot a stir, looked back to the hanyou. He crossed his arms, and had a stern look on his face.  
"What about Kagome-Master?"  
InuYasha started, "She - " he blinked, "What the hell? What are you still calling her that for?"  
"You are mistaken," DarkWind said firmly, "I used to call her 'Nushi'."  
InuYasha's teeth ground. He _hated_ that DarkWind used to call her beloved.  
"Now I call her Kagome-Master, for she is the last master I will ever have. It is a title of respect. What happened to her?"  
DarkWind's face darkened slightly, "You have not hurt her, have you?"  
Anger roared to the surface, remembering the fight InuYasha had with the Kageri, remembering DarkWind's words in the forest that night, saying he wasn't surprised Kagome claimed to no longer love him.  
"No I didn't hurt her, you bastard! I'll have you know that once you removed your _carcass_ from the area, Kagome came to her senses and decided to give me another chance! So we're back together, idiot!"  
DarkWind beamed, "Truly!? That is wonderful! I was afraid she would not take my advice and try again."  
The anger died in InuYasha, and he stared, blinking, at DarkWind.  
"You...wait, you...what?"  
"When she told me to come here, to Tristar, I told her she had to give you one more chance. That she still loved you, and it was pointless to deny it any longer. Once she knew you had turned away from the Priestess, there was no more reason for her fear."  
InuYasha just stared, speechless.  
DarkWind?  
_DarkWind_ had told Kagome to give him another chance?  
"How..." InuYasha croaked, "How did she find out, anyway? About me telling Kikyo..."  
DarkWind shrugged, "That is not for me to say, InuYasha-Warrior. Suffice to say, she heard from a reputable source. Now then...tell me, what is wrong with Kagome-Master? She is well?"  
"We...we can't find her..."  
DarkWind blinked at InuYasha.  
_"You have misplaced Kagome-Master!?"_  
InuYasha blinked, then growled, his voice angry and tense, "You make it sound like she's a book! No I didn't 'misplace' her! She was attacked by someone, probably Jemu! A kid from the village saw her get beat up! I wasn't there, and...this other guy picked her up and put her in a wagon and left! We followed the trail, but it just ended! They must have...have vanished or something! There was a time, when we went to this castle..."  
"Yes, I have seen it in Kagome-Master's memories. A bad place. She was happy there, though, with you."  
InuYasha stilled, "She...she was?"  
"Oh yes. You and her shared some wonderful moments, they were very bright in her memory. And a sense of regret, regarding one night in particular." DarkWind looked meaningfully at the hanyou, who just looked back, feeling somewhat dazed, and off balance. He blushed.  
"At any rate," DarkWind said, "We must try to find her. Hmmm..."  
InuYasha stepped forward, "Can't you...locate her? You used to be able to sense where she was, at all times!"  
"Yes, but that was when we were bonded, InuYasha-Warrior. The blood shared between us enabled me to sense where her body was, at any time. Once the bond was broken, once she freed her, I lost that ability."  
"Damnit!" InuYasha snarled.  
"Wait. All is not yet lost. Come. We will find Tristar."  
"Tristar? How can she help us?"  
"You will see."

They searched the village, until they found her helping another family in the garden.  
"Tristar," DarkWind smiled as he approached her.  
Tristar, the slender woman, stood, and smiled, brushing the dirt from her hands, "StrongWind, beloved."  
When she saw InuYasha, she blinked.  
And utterly shocked the hanyou when she beamed at him, and moved forward to give him a huge hug, strangling-tight in her glee.  
"InuYasha-Warrior! It is good to see you again! But where is Kagome-Master? Did she not come with you?"  
DarkWind spoke to the other ex-Kageri, "Kagome-Nushi is missing, beloved one. They have no idea where she is."  
"Oh no!" Tristar cried, still holding onto the startled, panicked, blushing hanyou, who was trying to extract himself from her arms.  
"Beloved one," DarkWind said, "Can you search for her, the way you used to, long ago?"  
Tristar let the hanyou disengage himself from her hold, looking up at DarkWind, "I can try, yes, but...it has been so long. I do not know how long it will take to locate her."  
"I don't care, I have to try something!" InuYasha said, firmly, "I can't stand just _waiting_ while she could be..."  
"What do you need?" DarkWind asked her.  
"The river will do. It feeds most of the land." She looked at InuYasha, "Come."

They walked out from the village, leaving it behind, and headed for the large central river. InuYasha had no idea how Tristar was going to be able to do anything, but right now grasping at straws was keeping him from going insane with worry.  
He watched DarkWind and Tristar walked, talking softly to each other, and felt strange.  
DarkWind had told Kagome to give him another chance. What did that mean, exactly?  
Had Kagome only given him another chance as a favor to the Kageri?  
No, he didn't think so. Kagome had been so dead set on _not_ getting back with him, not even DarkWind could have talked her into it. And DarkWind himself said that Kagome had no more worry, no more fear, now that she knew his place was beside her.  
All this time, he had thought that DarkWind was his rival...and he _had_ been, but...perhaps not his enemy. He _had_ cared for Kagome, he knew that. That damn kiss said that, but...  
In the end, Kagome had chosen InuYasha, hadn't she?  
She could have asked DarkWind to stay, and he probably would have.  
But Kagome chose _him_.  
_Be careful, Kagome, please. Just be careful and safe until I can get there._  
They stopped at the edge of the river, and Tristar slipped off her shoes.  
"So...what do we do?" InuYasha asked, crossing his arms, and looking into the river.  
"We get wet," Tristar replied, "I hope you don't mind having wet clothing for a while. Even soaked down to your underthings."  
"No, but what the hell are you going to do?"  
"You'll see."  
She walked to InuYasha, and startled him by taking his hand. She turned, and started to lead him to the river.  
They waded out to a shallow part, the water splashing a little past them, and she turned.  
Still holding his hand, she knelt, then sat in the water. InuYasha blinked at her, and she tugged his hand.  
"You must sit. Come, sit."  
Confused, InuYasha did, wincing a little at the night's chill of the water. It came to his waist, and instantly soaked him through his hakama and underwear.  
"Give me your other hand," she instructed.  
Feeling like an idiot, InuYasha held out his hand, and she slipped hers into his.  
"There. We have completed the circle."  
InuYasha looked around nervously. He was sitting in cold water, holding hands with Tristar, while DarkWind stood on the shore and watched. He felt like something was going to explode or fall on him any minute.  
"Now," Tristar said very softly, "You must give me Kagome."  
InuYasha blinked, "Uh...huh?"  
Tristar softly smiled, "I need you to close your eyes, and think of her. You must hold images and thoughts and memories of her in your head, and give them to me."  
"W..why?"  
"Because I am going to give them to the water."  
InuYasha blinked again, completely confused.  
Tristar explained, "My ability is with water. You know this. You have seen how I can call the water, even in this time of drought. This river is a heart river. It feeds most all other rivers here and south. All smaller rivers are fed from this one. Like a heart, pumping blood through the land.  
I will feed your memories of Kagome-Master into the river, and see if the river remembers ever having seen her. I will travel the length of this river, searching, asking. But the water must know who to look for."  
"Wait, you're telling me you're going to ask the _water_ if it's seen Kagome?"  
"Yes."  
"You're saying the water can _think_?"  
"Of course. When water is in a cup, no. It is dead. But moving water, InuYasha, is alive. And it has a very long memory. This river can remember when people first came to these lands, long, long ago. Now. Close your eyes, and think of Kagome."  
At first, he couldn't. Those thoughts, those images...they were personal. Private. And it made him want to squirm, revealing them to someone else. He held his feelings close, and it wasn't easy revealing them to anyone. He found himself blushing like an idiot, trying to sort out which ones he felt were less...intense. Safe to share, more or less.  
Tristar spoke gently, "I will not remember them after this, InuYasha-Warrior. I will give them to the river, and the river is not really interested in your feelings for Kagome-Master. Please...if you want to find her, you must not hold back."  
Sighing, still blushing brightly, and feeling like an idiot, he closed his eyes.  
He did as he was told, and brought an image of her face forward. Her eyes. Her hair. The way her bangs fell forward.  
"Show me her many faces, InuYasha," Tristar said, her own eyes closed, "All her emotions. The river may have seen her angry, or sad. Or frightened. You must give me all that you know that is Kagome."  
The way her eyes sparkled when she laughed. The way they flashed like black ice when she was angry. Tears, diamond-bright when she grieved, or was upset. The way she blushed, that adorable blush over her cheeks and nose. Even that weak, fake smile she sometimes gave when she really didn't know what else to do or say.  
"Give me her voice, InuYasha-Warrior, for the river may have heard her speaking."  
InuYasha thought of her, of her voice, all the different tones she had, the ones that meant she was happy. How she sounded when frightened, or the sharp cracking whip when she was angry. Usually at him, but not always. The way she sounded when she was trying really hard not to laugh.  
The soft, warm tone she took with him when they were alone. How she made him feel warm, just with her voice.  
"Give me her scents, InuYasha-Warrior, and her taste, if you know it."  
Eyes closed, he gave to Tristar the scent of Kagome, that special smell she had. He had no way to describe it, it didn't smell like anything else, other than her. He gave to Tristar how her scent could change, when she was angry, or scared, how the tinge of fear could creep into it. Blushing, he gave to Tristar how Kagome's scent deepened, and changed when they were together, when they were kissing, or touching...he gave to her the taste and feel of her lips when they kissed, how it felt when she put her arms around him, leaning against him...  
"Now..." Tristar's voice was faint, faint, as if she were far away, "Now...let us see who has seen her..."  
InuYasha opened his eyes, feeling oddly woozy. He still sat, holding her hands, the chilly water rushing past them, frothing and splashing and gurgling a little harder. Tristar was perfectly still, not moving, her eyes closed.  
InuYasha shivered, and waited.

After the meal, the women went their seperate ways. Lady Mai saw Kagome to her room, and they talked lightly about non-important things.  
"Lady Mai," Kagome asked, "Tonight when you were talking, you said the Lord Haruki and the other men were talking about upcoming battles? And I notice there are a lot of guards here in the palace. Is everything ok? Is Lord Haruki under attack or something?"  
Lady Mai smiled, and lightly touched Kagome's shoulder, "Don't worry too much about it, you're perfectly safe here. Any lord as rich and powerful as Lord Haruki always has enemies, sadly. He's going to be seeing battle soon, though, and I'm worried about him. I afraid something terrible may happen, although he is the best swordsman around. With the possible exception of Kanpeki. I would hate to see the two of them fighting each other!"  
"He's a very...dangerous demon, isn't he?"  
"Kanpeki?" Lady Mai blinked at Kagome, "Well, I suppose. I certainly wouldn't want to be his enemy, that's for certain. He once slayed over 100 men in a single battle, with a single stroke!"  
Kagome shivered. Kanpeki was far too much like Sesshomaru for her comfort.  
"But, you said that Lord Haruki was going to be seeing battle soon. What's going on?"  
"Well..." Lady Mai considered, then spoke, "my Lord Haruki had...something taken away from him a while back. I won't get into details, but he was tricked from something he deserved. Now that he has raised an army and become very rich and powerful, he's going to get it back. Fair is fair, after all."  
"Yes, fair is fair," Kagome nodded, "Although...I mean...if he's this rich and powerful, I can't see what he could possibly want that he doesn't already have."  
Lady Mai smiled sweetly, "Dear sweet Kagome. Not all people are as innocent as you are."  
Kagome smiled a weak smile, not sure how to take what Mai said.  
"Lord Haruki does not like being denied anything. If he feels he's entitled to it, he takes it. That how the world works, you know. The strong take what they need to get stronger."  
Kagome fell silent.  
"Well, I should let you go. Tomorrow's going to be a wonderful day for you! Lord Haruki has told me he's allowing the women outside the complex to go riding! I haven't been riding in absolute _ages_! He'll get the wagons ready just after breakfast."  
"That...that will be nice," Kagome said, faintly smiling, "You haven't been outside the complex?"  
"Well, no. Lord Haruki has been travelling, and he hasn't really had the extra guards to stay with the women, so we were told to stay inside the complex. Not that that's such a big deal. The complex is very large, you know."  
"Oh? I haven't been outside since I got here..."  
"Tomorrow, then," Lady Mai said, beaming, "You'll see."  
"Ok then!" Kagome smiled.  
Lady Mai paused, then spoke softly, "I like you, Kagome. You bring such a fresh breath of air into this palace."  
Kagome blinked, again, not sure what to say, "Oh, thank you, that's very kind."  
The door slid back, and a young woman Kagome's age slipped inside. She was wearing a beautiful robe of pale pink and white, and her hair was longer than Kagome's.  
Lady Mai motioned to the newcomer, "This is Yasu. She is your maid servant while you are here."  
"Oh! I don't need a maidservant, really!"  
"Now now, I won't hear of it. Yasu, this is Kagome. You are to serve her while she is here."  
Yasu bowed deeply, "Yes, Lady Mai."  
Mai smiled at the two young women, then turned, and left. Before she made her way out, she turned back.  
"Kagome, you are allowed to wander the balcony just outside your door if you need air. You'll find it's quite large with a lovely view. The guards there have been given a description of you and will not challenge you. You have complete freedom there. If you leave, you may be mistaken for a spy or something, so please, do not wander about."  
Kagome blinked, "Oh! I won't! Thanks for telling me!"  
Lady Mai left.  
Kagome found herself looking uncomfortably at Yasu, not sure what she was even supposed to do.  
"How can I serve you, my lady?" Yasu asked.  
"I..uh. I..it's fine. Just...go..do whatever you want."  
Yasu blinked.  
"I really don't need anything right now. At all."  
"You will want to change into your sleeping shift at least?"  
"Oh I can do that myself! Really!"  
Yasu looked troubled, and Kagome started to fear she had somehow inadvertantly insulted the other woman.  
"It's just that I've _never_ had anyone waiting on me, Yasu. I'm not even sure what I'm supposed to get you to do that I can't do myself."  
Yasu smiled, transforming her face into one of loveliness, "Ah! I understand! I will set out your things then, and you can wash and dress. I will wait until you turn in, ok?"  
Kagome smiled, "Thanks."

Kagome washed, pouring the wash water down the drain in the small water closet, and pulled on the thin linen shift. Yasu came out of the little room she shared next to Kagome's, and had Kagome sit on the floor in front of her, while she combed out Kagome's hair for the night. Kagome had never done it before, and found it oddly comforting.  
"This whole palace, even this _room_," Kagome said, "There so much...opulance!" She blushed, "I must sound terrible, going on and on about the richness of this place, but I've never seen a place like this before!"  
Yasu laughed, gently brushing, "Yes, Lord Haruki is very successful. Would you believe that he was born into a non-royal family? He was barely a noble!"  
"Really?"  
"Oh yes! And he made himself rich and powerful through his hard work! He's truly an amazing person!"  
Kagome smiled slightly, hearing the tone in the young woman's voice. Her heart went out to her a little...as a young woman with no real prospects, there was no way she would ever be considered as a possible match for the Lord. No third wife. If she was very lucky, she might become a concubine. Which might make her happy, who knew?  
"What did he work at?" Kagome asked.  
"He was a samuari."  
Kagome blinked, turning slightly, looking over her shoulder at Yasu, "Lord Haruki was a samurai?"  
"That's right. He made his fortune from _his_ lord, winning every battle he ever undertook. His lord showered him with riches."  
Kagome looked back forward, frowning a little, confused.  
"Well...if he's a samurai, who does he work for?"  
There was a pause, "Well...he's not a samurai anymore."  
Kagome blinked, but kept her voice neutral, "He's ronin?"  
"Oh no, not at all! Well...he was sort of one. Oh, it's complicated. See, Lord Haruki was the best samurai in his lord's army. The men under him won every battle, every war. He made his lord very very rich, and in turn, he became very rich as well. And his men were very loyal to him. But one night, through terrible treachery, his lord was slain. But he was slain by one of his concubines!"  
Kagome blinked.  
"Needless to say," Yasu said, bringing the comb down evenly through Kagome's hair, making it shine, "Such a murder couldn't be avoided, because no one expected it. Lord Haruki was always aware of his lord's safety, and stopped many such attempts on his lord's life. But this one could not be avoided. The lord's son, feeling angry and bitter that his father had been slain, pronounced all the samurai _ronin_ for not seeing such a treacherous act coming."  
"That's not fair!" Kagome said, "The lord's personal bodyguard should have prevented that, not his samurai! Samurai are soldiers, not spies!"  
"Just so," Yasu nodded, "Still...he was declared ronin. And you can imagine how bitter he became because of that."  
"Yes," Kagome murmured. Ronin were cast-offs, throw-aways. Many committed seppuku out of shame of letting down their lords in some manner. To be cast out as ronin because of something you had no control over...  
"So he started up himself. Declared himself a lord, and started gathering his own army. Lord Haruki grew in strength and power, and now he is where he is."  
"Is...he's not going to go after the lord's son, is he?" Kagome asked, "Lady Mai said he was going after something he felt he deserved."  
"I do not know, Kagome. I am not privy to my lord's thoughts."  
Kagome fell silent, feeling uneasy. She understood the lord's anger, but to go to complete war over it?  
"There," Yasu said, leaning back and standing up, "Now you are ready for sleep. I will be in the very next room if you have need of me."  
"Thank you."

She couldn't sleep.  
She had tried, but there was too much going through her head to be able to sleep. After about an hour, she got up. The moonlight coming through the rice-paper walls was so bright she didn't even need to light a candle to see her way around. She gathered up a dark blue robe and slipped it on over her shift, leaving it untied. Quietly, she crossed to the sliding door, and pushed it back.  
Moonlight streamed into her room, lighting it up with a brilliant cool blue light.  
She stepped, barefoot, out onto the balcony, looking out over the lake. It looked like a lake of pure silver, glowing softly as the full moon hung overhead. The willows were black shapes along the shore, and occasionally there was a flash as a nightbird flickered past.  
Her balcony was curved, about 20 or more feet long, following the soft curve of the wall, where it just ended on both ends. There was only one way onto and off of the balcony. She could see how it would be a woman's balcony - easily guarded against possible unwanted male intruders. She couldn't see any guards out here, but knew the ones still posted just inside were certainly within calling distance.  
Kagome leaned against the edge of the railing, looking down into the water.  
A faint light flickering to her right caused her to turn. She could just make out someone who had been walking inside the building, carrying a candle. Shadows moved and danced along the wall, then dissapeared as the person turned down a corner and vanished.  
She looked back to the lake, feeling her heart stir. It was so utterly beautiful.  
She found herself missing InuYasha, badly. She hoped he was ok.  
_Has he realized how I'm missing? Or does he think I'm still at home. Oh I hope he doesn't go home looking for me, mom will panic.  
Is __**he**__ panicking? Did mom tell him I came through the well, and now he can't find me? Why can't I remember what happened to me?  
God, I hope __**he's**__ ok. There's still one Shadeling left, and we don't know what else._  
She put her face in her hands for a moment, trying to still her pounding heart.  
_No. No, he's ok. InuYasha's fine. I'd know if he were hurt or...or...I'd know. I'd just know somehow. But he must be so worried about me._  
She looked at the moonlight on the lake, and smiled.  
_I wish he were here right now, with me. This is so beautiful, I would love for him to see it with me. To just stand here, together...maybe he'd put his arms around me..._  
In her mind, she imagined the two of them, standing there, watching the moonlight on the lake. How his hair would glow in the moonlight, how his eyes would take on that luminous quality they seemed to in moonlight. He'd be behind her, and he'd slip his arms around her, and she'd lean back against him, against his strong frame. That wonderful fall-apple smell that he seemed to carry with him.  
Maybe he'd say something to her, in that wonderful, soft, warm voice he had, his mouth close to her ear...  
Kagome closed her eyes, lost in the imagery.  
She blushed, _I wish he had seen me earlier, when I was all dressed up. I looked...I felt pretty. Those clothes. I would have loved for him to have seen me in them. I wonder what he would have said?_  
"A warm night."  
Kagome sqwaked, lunging sideways at the dark shadow that had appeared so swiftly behind her. She was just getting ready to dive off the balcony if need be, when the person stepped into the moonlight and smiled at her.  
Lord Haruki.  
Kagome breathed a sigh of relief, her heart thudding painfully in her chest.  
"Forgive me," he spoke softly, "I didn't mean to frighten you. I should have spoken before I stepped out here."  
"It...it's ok," Kagome weakly laughed, trying to keep her legs from giving out. God he _scared_ her!  
"What are you doing out here?" Kagome asked, "Can't you sleep either?"  
"No. I have too much on my mind," he answered simply, stepping forward and leaning against the rail on the balcony. He was a tall, slender shadow in the darkness. He gazed at the water for few minutes, then spoke.  
"Sometimes I forget there is such beauty in the world. I forget things like this exist."  
"Yeah," Kagome smiled, looking out over the water too, "Takes your breath away."  
There was silence for a while, then Kagome spoke again, "Lady Mai says we're to go riding tomorrow."  
"Yes," he turned, and regarded her, "Have you ridden before?"  
"Oh. Uh, no, not..what you would call riding. Just for a few minutes."  
"Well, we have open wagons you can ride in. Fresh air, new scenery...it will do Lady Mai, if no one else, good. She tends to get...anxious if she is indoors too long."  
"Oh I _completely_ know about that!" Kagome laughed.  
The moonlight bathed the area around them, a soft, pale silver light.  
He watched her in silence for a moment, and Kagome started to feel uneasy. He was just _looking_ at her, his face completely unreadable, almost as if he were trying to figure out what she was. As if maybe she was a spy or something.  
_He doesn't think I'm a spy, does he!? __**He**__ found __**me**__!_  
Again, she was struck by just how handsome he was, gorgeous.  
She wasn't attracted to him in any manner, her heart belonged to InuYasha. But she was certainly aware how gorgeous he was.  
"Kagome...may I see it?"  
"Huh? See what?"  
"The gem you wear about your neck."  
Kagome blinked, startled. She backed up a step, one hand going to her chest, as if trying to hide it.  
"It's called 'Shikon', isn't it?"  
"You...how do you know...?"  
"One of my servants mentioned it to me. I've heard of the powers it holds. Why on earth does a young woman carry it?"  
"It's not what you think it is!" Kagome said quickly, backing up another step, "It can't be used the way people say it can!"  
"Kagome-"  
"You have to trust me, it's not what people say it is! You can't just make a wish on it! Or if you do, it gets all twisted around and terrible things happen!"  
"Kagome," he said again, smiling, "I only wish to see it. Please."  
Wary, she reached inside her shift, and pulled it out. She held it out, so he could see it.  
He stepped forward quickly, startling her - he moved faster than she had expected - and took a hold of it, lifting it to see it better, lifting it slightly above and in front of Kagome's head.  
He held it in his hand, what looked like a small pink pearl. In his hand it did nothing, just sat there, appearing dead.  
He rolled it between his fingers, looking intently at it.  
Kagome took ahold of the cord it was on, keeping a tight hold on it. She couldn't help but feel like he was going to try and rip it from her neck.  
He looked down at her, dark eyes black in the moonlight, "How is you carry this, then? If it cannot be used?"  
"Because I...I can shield it," she said, saying nothing else, "I can shield it, so it keeps people from trying to tear up the countryside killing people and-"  
"You can use this, can't you?"  
Kagome blinked, her tongue suddenly dead, "Uhh..."  
"When I was travelling through your lands, I heard rumors of a young woman who could apparently use a small pink gem she carried around her neck, to fight her enemies."  
"Demons and other dark things," Kagome said swiftly, "Not humans. It can't harm humans."  
His eyes seemed piercing, "Not humans? Have you tried?"  
"Yes," she said, honestly, "I did. It didn't listen."  
"You...must have a great deal of power."  
"No, I don't, not really," Kagome said, trying to make him understand, trying to keep him from thinking...anything. She felt strange in her stomach as he looked at her.  
Evaluating.  
"Well..." he said, his voice suddenly gentling, "I wouldn't tear it from you, Kagome. Forgive my brashness, I was only curious."  
"Yeah, sure," she said weakly. She noticed, however, that he didn't hand the Shikon back.  
He eyes shifted, and he looked closely at something at her neck. He reached out, tugging lightly, and Kagome suddenly saw him lift out the sword pendant out from under her shift, and looked at it, curious.  
"A sword?"  
"It's a gift," Kagome said swiftly, "From my lover. He gave it to me. We're together." For some reason, Kagome didn't like seeing that gold sword in Lord Haruki's hand. It gave her the creeps.  
"Your lover."  
"Yes."  
He watched her for a moment, and Kagome started to feel weird, an unpleasant, crawly feeling in her stomach. He turned his attention back to the sword for a moment, "A strange gift from a lover."  
"It has meaning for the both of us," she lightly tugged on the cord of the Shikon, reminding him she wanted it back.  
He lowered both the sword and the Shikon, lowering her hand to release them. But as he did, the backs of his fingers lightly grazed the side of her throat, and down by her right collar bone, feather-light.  
Kagome backed up a step, quickly stuffing both the Shikon and the sword pendant back under her shift. She suddenly felt very naked in such a thin shift, and she pulled the edges of her robe tight around her, tying up the sash, tight, crossing her arms over her chest, "He loves me very much, and I love him just as much." She spoke firmly, and her statement seemed to hang in the air between them. She felt oddly cold where he had touched her.  
Something moved over the lord's face, but he said nothing. After a second, a smile graced his face, and he stepped back, bowing, "I should go, and allow you your sleep. You women have a long day tomorrow."  
He gave her another charming smile, and turning on his heel, strode from the balcony, and down the hall.  
Kagome watched him go, her heart pounding painfully. She didn't like how he had looked at her. It was probably nothing, but she had suddenly felt very naked in front of him, as if he were looking right through her. Or...judging her. Evaluating her. And she didn't like the way he had brushed her throat. Normally, a man would have quickly apologised for touching her. It seemed too much like a measured movement.  
Intended.  
She quickly crossed back to her room, and slid shut the door. She slid into her blankets, robe and all, pulling the blankets tight over her, up to her chin, and fretted.  
_I have got to get back. I don't like it here anymore._  
She desperately wanted InuYasha.


	4. Encounter in the garden, and the bedroom

The water rushed past him.  
InuYasha's feet had gone numb, and his butt was starting to go the same way. He was soaked straight through to his underwear, up to his waist, where he sat, holding Tristar's hands, while she searched the river for any sign of Kagome.  
He wasn't sure how long this was supposed to last. He felt like he had been sitting there for at least 2 hours. He was pretty sure the moon had moved across the sky, as the shadows had lengthened and deepened. DarkWind remained where he was, standing on the shore, watching, not moving. InuYasha started to think maybe this was some cruel, stupid joke the Kageri was playing on him. Seeing how long he'd sit in cold water.  
Only he knew DarkWind wouldn't risk Kagome's well-being that way.  
Just when he was trying to wiggle his toes or feet, to try and get some warm blood back to them, he heard Tristar speak, very softly, more a whisper than anything. It was only his hanyou hearing that allowed him to pick up the words over the rushing water.  
"I have found her."  
Ears pricked, he leaned forward, unintentionally squeezing her hands, "What?! Where?! Where is she?! Is she ok?!"  
"She is far...very far..." slowly, her eyes opened, and she looked at him, her eyes unfocused.  
InuYasha watched as her eyes slowly focused, as she came back into herself. After a second or two, she started to shiver, and tried to stand up, wobbling.  
DarkWind splashed out to aid her, lending a hand to InuYasha - who of course refused it - and they wobbled their way back to the river side on frozen and numb feet.  
"Where is she!?" InuYasha demanded, sitting and rubbing his feet, trying to ignore his numb butt, "How far is she? Which direction?"  
"She's south. Far south."  
"Alright, thanks. I owe you, Tristar. I'll head there as soon as my feet-"  
"You can't go there."  
InuYasha and DarkWind blinked at her, DarkWind speaking, "Beloved one?"  
"What do you _mean_ I can't go there!? Says who?"  
In answer, Tristar gently pushed DarkWind aside, and knelt, picking up a stick. She started to draw in the dirt.  
DarkWind and InuYasha gathered around her, watching, confused. Tristar seemed to be drawing lines in the dirt, odd shaped, somewhat wavy lines. It took a few moments before InuYasha began to recognise the coastline if Nippon.  
"Ah, a map," DarkWind said, nodding, seeing it at the same time.  
Tristar drew all down around the south, and back up, making a somewhat rough image of the island. Then she stuck the stick way down toward the lower part of the land.  
"Kagome is there."  
InuYasha blinked, shocked.  
_"What_!? No, that's _impossible!_ There's no way anyone could get that far in a day!"  
"You spoke of some sort of magic, did you not, InuYasha-Warrior?" DarkWind asked lowly.  
InuYasha stared at the stick as it jutted from the dirt drawing.  
Kagome was _there_? It would take _days_ to get there, maybe a _week, running!_ There was a lot of rough forest between there and here, no simple roads!  
He cursed helplessly, then looked up at Tristar, "Are you _sure_, Tristar?! Absolutely?! What did you see, what did the river show you?"  
"There is a huge palace there. This river splits various times, and ends up as a river that feeds into a huge lake, beside the palace. Water is drawn from that lake, and used in the palace. When the water is used in the palace, it drains out into a smaller stream that then leads back to the river, and eventually makes it way out to the sea. The water that is cast off from the palace has tasted Kagome-Master. She is there, in that palace."  
"She's in a _palace_?" he pushed his bangs back from his forhead, thinking, "The kid said someone in a red and gold wagon said to put her in another one. I guess the guy's a king or a prince or lord or something."  
Well...at least he knew she was alive. That was a start.  
"Is she...could you...could you sense how she was or anything? Is she ok?"  
Tristar shook her head, "I cannot sense that, I am sorry. If Kagome had been in the lake itself, perhaps, I could have sensed her own senses, but such a small amount of water, and mixed in with everyone else's...no. I am most sorry."  
He looked away, miserable.  
"You said she was attacked?" Tristar asked, quietly.  
He turned to her, quickly, "Yes, why? What did you sense? Tristar?"  
She smiled softly, "The water from the castle has tasted her blood, but a _very_ small amount. I do not think she has been very badly injured, InuYasha-Warrior. I would imagine a few cuts and scrapes, but nothing else."  
He watched her, feeling the tight, panicky feeling in his chest loosen with her words.  
She was alive, and she was most likely hardly hurt at all.  
Good.  
"I have to go," he said to her, "I have to start now, it's the only way-"  
"It will take you a very long time, InuYasha-Warrior," Tristar said.  
"I don't ca-"  
She put her hands out in a calming gesture, "And what if you run all the way down there, only to discover she has been somehow magically returned back here?"  
"Then I'll run back!"  
"Of course you will," she smiled sweetly, "But there is another way you can go there _much_ faster, and return faster, if needed. Plus, when you find her, how will you return? That is a long way for a human to walk, _or_ for you to carry her, as strong as you are."  
He crossed his arms, "So what are you suggesting?"  
Tristar motioned to DarkWind.  
InuYasha's hackles rose, _"No way! I am not letting __**him**__ phase me anywhere! Forget it!"_  
"Not even for the safety and quick return of Kagome-Master? InuYasha." Tristar sounded dissapointed.  
"And what happens if he decides to just dump me in a river like the _last_ time!?"  
Tristar blinked, and turned to look accusingly at DarkWind.  
DarkWind shrugged, looking oddly guilty, grinning, "Kagome-Master told me to send him far away, so I did."  
"Tsk," she shook her head at him, then turned back to InuYasha.  
"DarkWind will not dump you in a river, InuYasha-Warrior, for I will not allow him to do so. He will behave, I assure you of this."  
InuYasha grumbled.  
"Fine. I have no choice, not really."  
DarkWind spoke, "We will return to our place, and eat, and then begin our journey. I will pack us some things to eat."  
"Eat? What are you talking about?" InuYasha demanded, "We just go to this palace, get Kagome, and come back? We don't need to eat!"  
DarkWind looked apologetic, and spoke hesitantly, "Ahh...I fear we cannot simply go to the palace and back, InuYasha-Warrior."  
_"And why not!?"_  
"My powers are fading. Ever since Kagome-Master released me, my powers are not as strong as they used to be. I can no longer fly. And when I phase now, I can only go a certain distance. Any farther, and I fear I may get lost in the...between. I cannot risk you in that manner."  
"So how the hell long will this take!?"  
"Two days. Maybe more, but it is not likely. I will need a map, for good reference points. But I will get very hungry, as it will take much more energy than it used to."  
He spoke firmly to InuYasha, "You must trust me, InuYasha-Warrior. This way is _still_ much faster than any other. We will be there in two or three days at the _very most_."  
InuYasha growled under his breath, but the ex-Kageri was right. Even though it was going to be forever to him, it _was_ still going to be a lot faster than if he ran.  
"Alright, don't just stand there, let's go."

Kagome woke up the next morning, and lay in bed, thinking about what had happened the night before. She stared at the ceiling of her opulent room.  
Had it all happened the way she thought it had, or had she just been tired, and had blown the whole thing out of proportion? Sometimes she just didn't trust her own instincts.  
Why would he have looked at her that way, or touched her like that? Maybe it was just an accident, and as a powerful lord, he wasn't used to actually apologising. Maybe he didn't apologise because the sheer thought that a powerful lord had tried something with _her_ was so outrageous he didn't expect her to even _consider_ it.  
Maybe he _had_ been looking at her as if he were evaluating her, or...considering something, but that didn't mean...what she thought it meant. If he was a powerful lord, maybe it was natural to study everyone that closely. After all, he probably had to deal with spies, and traitors and things all the time.  
And as for the Shikon, well...he had heard that it could be used to get rid of enemies, and he had been hoping...but when she told him it couldn't be used on humans, he was dissapointed. After all, he hadn't _demanded_ she give it to him.  
He...he _could_ have just _yanked_ the Shikon off her neck, if he had wanted it _that_ badly. He had told her he would never take it away from her. So he couldn't be a bad person, could he?  
She could hear Yusa in her small room, clearly awake, but she wouldn't come out until she knew Kagome was awake.  
Kagome sat up, rubbing her face, and she sighed.  
The door swiftly slid open, and Yusa's face smiled out at her, "Good morning!"

Rio joined Kagome for breakfast, and the three girls chatted about what was going on that day.  
"We'll go outside the walls!" Rio said, "I love it when we do that! Everything is so different!"  
Yusa smiled fondly at the little girl.  
"You guys don't go outside the walls very often?" Kagome asked, "I think that would drive me crazy."  
Yusa laughed, "The walls are very far away from here, Kagome. We have so much room we can easily walk around, even take rides in wagons. But going outside the walls is a real treat! We get to see new people and new sights!"  
"We have picnics and it's so much fun!" Rio exclaimed.  
Kagome took a sip of her tea, listening.  
"We have so much fun! And father takes me up with him on his horse!"  
"Is...is Lord Haruki going to be there too?" Kagome asked, trying to sound non-chalant.  
"Oh yes, he always accompanies us."  
"Um..Yusa, would...would it be ok if I...stayed here?"  
Rio and Yusa looked at Kagome in dismay.  
"You can't!" Rio cried, "You _have_ to come, Kagome!"  
"Are you well, Kagome?" Yusa asked, "I heard you tossing and turning all night."  
"I...no, I...don't feel well," she said, lying, "I'd really rather just stay here. And rest. Or read or something. Is that ok?"  
"Well," Yusa said, "I can't see anyone _forcing_ you to go if you don't feel well, Kagome."  
"Oh _please_?" Rio leaned forward, making big eyes at Kagome.  
"Rio," Yusa said softly, not really able to chastise the young Lady, "If she doesn't feel well..."  
"I'm sorry, Rio, but I wouldn't be any fun. I'd just be lying around, yawning and being _so_ boring..."  
"Awwwww."  
"You can tell me all about it when you come back, ok?"  
"Ok," Rio said, disappointed.  
Yusa watched Kagome, worried.

Later that morning, Lady Mai came in, looking concerned, "Rio told me you're not feeling well, Kagome?"  
Kagome _was_ feeling sickly, actually, lying on her bed, looking at the ceiling. She was wondering if there was some way she could leave the palace while everyone was gone, and...and...what?  
_I have no idea where I am. I have no idea how I'd even find my way back, not to mention how long it would take. I have no __**clothes**__. What do I do? I really feel uncomfortable here. I wish you were here, InuYasha. I really could use your overprotectiveness now. _  
She smiled at Mai, and nodded, "Just a little. It's ok."  
"And I was so looking forward to going on our little expedition with you today."  
"I know, I'm sorry. I just need to rest. I'll just lay here, and rest, and you guys can have all the fun."  
Mai knelt beside her, and put a hand on her forhead, "You don't feel warm. Maybe it's just something you ate."  
"That's probably it," Kagome smiled weakly. She was starting to feel a little guilty lying to them, but she actually didn't want to see Lord Haruki. Even though she had sort of convinced herself that what she _thought_ had happened last night at first hadn't happened, she still felt a strange, crawly feeling at the thoughts of seeing him again.  
"Is there anything you would like before we go?"  
"Actually...yes. If I feel better in a while, is it ok if I walk around outside a little? Not just on the balcony there, but outside a little more? Maybe if I could walk around..."  
Mai smiled, "I'll ask Lord Haruki, I'm sure he won't mind at all. We'll let the guards know you're a guest here."  
"Thanks."

InuYasha wasn't happy. By the time DarkWind had seen to Tristar, had eaten, and had packed some food, the sun was just starting to rise.  
"Damnit, come on! You're taking too long!"  
"We cannot rush, InuYasha-Warrior," DarkWind said as they made their way slightly outside the village, "I know you are not overly fond of me, but in this, you must trust me. If we rush, we are able to make a mistake that will set us bac-"  
"Alright, alright! Just...hurry up as much as you _can_ then!"  
DarkWind slipped on the backpack Tristar had given him, full of supplies. The ex-Kageri had studed the map as he ate breakfast, using it as best as possible to look for waypoints. Not having actually been there before, he would use landmarks on the map to focus on; a mountain, a lake, an oddly shaped harbor, things of that nature. He had picked out a small mountain to be his first waypoint, guessing that mountains didn't change or move that much over time, so it was a good bet it was still where it said it was on the map.  
"Have you thought of what you will do when we get to this palace, InuYasha-Warrior?"  
"What do you mean? I tell them to hand over Kagome, that's what!"  
The two men walked side by side to a clearing, one dark, dressed in dark clothing of vest, pants and boots, the other brilliant with silver hair and crimson clothing. They looked like an unlikely pair, which they were. Even as they moved, the ex-Kageri seemed quiet and composed, while the hanyou marched angrilly, eager for action.  
"And if they say they do not have her?"  
InuYasha made a fist, "I'll level the Godsdamned place until they _remember_ they do!"  
"And if they do not?"  
InuYasha glowered at DarkWind.  
"I know you are angry and upset, but we cannot just go thundering in. It is possible these people did not have ill-intentions for Kagome-Master. Tristar herself said she was apparently being healed."  
_"So?"_  
"So...think of Kagome-Master. Do you not think she is likely to be upset or angry if you blow up a portion of a palace in which she is not even in?"  
As they walked, InuYasha scowled at the path before them, "Yeah, well...I'm not too concerned about how she _feels_ right now. She can scream at me later, once I find out she's ok."  
"Perhaps _I_ should spea-"  
"No. Forget it! I'm doing this _my_ way, you're just the horse that gets me there, you got that!?"  
DarkWind managed to look somewhat insulted.  
"You will need to keep a calm head, InuYasha-Warrior. Do not make enemies of those who are not your enemies. Both you and Kagome-Master have enough real enemies."  
InuYasha rolled his eyes, "You sound like Miroku."  
"Thank you!" DarkWind beamed.  
InuYasha said nothing.  
DarkWind stopped in the clearing, and nodded, "This will do."  
"Finally."  
The ex-Kageri turned, and held his hand out to InuYasha.  
The hanyou blinked at him, then backed up a step, "Are you crazy? _I ain't holding your hand!_"  
"InuYasha-Warrior, I have to make physical contact with you. Otherwise _I_ will travel, and _you_ will not."  
"Forget it! There's not way I'm-"  
Muttering a curse in some unknown language under his breath, DarkWind reached out, clamped a vise-like grip around the hanyou's wrist and _phased_.  
For InuYasha, the entire world seemed to melt and run, as if he were standing in some melting picture. His stomach did flipflops as his brain tried to make sense of what was going on. His highly tuned senses rebelled against the sudden onslaught of sensations.  
Everything seemed to _snap_ into place with a violent lurch, and suddenly, they were somewhere else. The trees seemed to have moved, changed places. The river was gone, replaced by a wide flat field, and a mountain seemed to suddenly jump out of the chaos at them. A bird who had been in a nearby tree went sqwaking away angrilly. Grass seemed to have jumped under his feet without his knowing about it.  
InuYasha lurched to the side, staggering slightly as his stomach rebelled.  
_"Give me some warning before you do that!_"  
"You left me no choice. You seemed to want to argue all day instead of starting. Hmmm. I hit pretty much spot-on. Excellent."  
InuYasha had one hand against a tree, leaning on that arm heavily, his other arm wrapped around his middle, fighting to get his stomach under control. Everything lurched.  
_Damnit. Same as that damned sphere to the castle. Why can't I travel like this without wanting to vomit?_  
"Are you well, InuYasha-Warrior?"  
"I'm...fine...give me a minute."  
DarkWind watched the hanyou, concerned. Shippo hadn't had a good time _phasing_ either. And according to Kagome-Master's memories, the hanyou had never travelled well that way. Demons - and hanyou - seemed to have trouble. Perhaps it was their fine senses.  
Either way, the hanyou was going to have trouble.

Kagome waited until the palace had gone quiet. She heard the women gathering, getting their things, and slipping out. She heard Rio giggling, laughing, running around. She heard men - she assumed they were soldiers - talking, getting ready.  
Then, it all fell quiet.  
She waited a little while longer - she didn't want to run into any of them as they were leaving, before she got up.  
Looking around her room a little more, she discovered there was nothing she could wear if she wanted to try and leave, other than what she was wearing. The robe was a simple affair, not even down to her ankles, but she wasn't used to running around in a long skirt at all, and she had no idea what she was going to have to try and get through if she did get outside.  
_And if I did get out,then what? I'm so far from home and I have no way of getting back. They used some sort of magic or something to get me here...I need that to get back, I guess. So I guess I have to just avoid him long enough for him to send me back. I'll just pretend I'm sick all week._  
Once she was sure the palace was empty, she slipped outside.  
She walked down the hallway, pausing long enough to ask one of the rather intimidating guards there for directions, she slipped outside into a huge garden.  
It was lovely there, and Kagome felt herself shedding her tension like water. Just being able to get out and walk meant so much to her. She could clear her head, and try to make sense of what was happenning.  
She wore a simple blouse and skirt today, similar to what Sango often wore, although hers was made of silk, and two shades of blue.  
She walked until she saw the walls that Lady Mai had been talking about, and her heart sank.  
They were massive, and made of heavy stone brick. There was no way she could climb over those. It was too high, and too smooth.  
_Well, now I guess I really don't have a choice but to wait for Lord Haruki to send me back. I'll just have to avoid him, and stay with the women until he does._  
She knelt, looking at a lovely rose bush. The European Rose was a brilliant crimson, and she found herself, again, missing InuYasha very much.  
_What I would give, right now, to hear him, even if he were yelling at me, or telling me I was stupid. Just to know he was nearby._  
She leaned forward, and sniffed the rose, eyes closed.  
Sighing, she stood up, and turned.  
To find Kenpeki standing there, looking at her.  
Kagome's heart stuttered as she backed up. He had approached unnaturally silent. He stood there, just looking at her, and she could see his eyes _were_ a very dark shade of blue, like denim. He didn't say anything, just gazed at her.  
Excusing herself, Kagome tried to pass him, to head back to her room, but he stepped to the side, blocking her path.  
Frightened, she looked up at him, feeling cold.  
"The gem you wear," he said, and his voice was creepily neutral. To Kagome, the man's resemblance to Sesshomaru was downright eerie, save for the coloring.  
"Y-yes?"  
"Let me see it."  
"I...uh...it's not...it can't be used so easily. I mean...it's cursed, you know. It-"  
"I said," he said, just as neutral, "Let me see it."  
Kagome looked around, hoping to see one of the guards walking in the garden, but there was no one around.  
Swallowing, Kagome backed up a step, but reached into her blouse and lifted it out. She held it out, slightly, just for a second, and when he took a step towards her, she shoved it back into her blouse, and crossed her arms over her chest.  
He spoke, casually, "You told Lord Haruki that it can only be used against demons, and other 'dark things'. What did you mean by 'dark things'?"  
"I...I just meant other demons. You know. Just...demons..."  
Kenpeki began to walk towards her, lifting one of his hands, palm up, fingers lightly curled. Unlike Lord Sesshomaru, Kenpeki had no demonic markings on his hands, but his claws were just as long.  
Kagome stumbled backwards, trying to get away from him, away from those claws. She half-tripped, falling back against the stone wall.  
Kenpeki stepped forward, and brought his claws up, in under Kagome's chin, lightly pressing into the soft flesh of her throat and under her chin. The little points dug in.  
Kagome swallowed hard, and went up on tiptoes to try and keep him from piercing her flesh with his claws, eyes wide.  
"Why does a young women, little more than a girl, carry this powerful artifact? Who are your 'enemies'?"  
Kagome swallowed again, trying to sort out what to say, how to explain.  
Kenpeki assumed she wasn't going to answer, and he pressed upward a little harder. Kagome made a soft sound of pain, going right up on tiptoes.  
"They were called Shadelings! I don't know where they came from or anything! But they were called Shadelings! And Shadows!"  
Kenpeki lowered his hand a small fraction, allowing Kagome to relax a little, ease down onto her feet a small bit.  
"And they just arrived? For no reason? And started attacking you? I find this hard to believe."  
Kagome said nothing.  
Kenpeki spoke, casually, "I could tear out your throat within seconds. No one here would care. Your body would be dumped somewhere. The ladies of this court would be told you left. Lord Haruki would not question me. Why did they arrive?"  
"Because..." Kagome swallowed again, "Because there's a war."  
"A war?"  
"A war between Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, and a demi-god called Keimetsu. They want to take over, destroy everything. The Shadelings were his troops."  
Kenpeki seemed to consider her words, then spoke, "You are on the side of Amaterasu?"  
"Y-yes, that's right."  
He said nothing else for a while, then spoke, "What of the Handmaiden? Does she still walk in her Lady's shadow?"  
Kagome blinked, confused, "Izumi? Lady Izumi?"  
Kenpeki said nothing.  
"Yes, yes she...she's still a Handmaiden. Are you...are you a friend of Izumi?" Kagome asked, hopefully.  
Kenpeki was silent, then he lowered his claws. Kagome took a deep breath, and rubbed her throat, feeling the sore spots where his claws had prickled.  
"You will remember little of this," he said.  
Kagome thought it an odd thing to say, when he reached out, and placed a hand on her head, the heel of his palm on her forhead. Before she could say or do anything, blackness rose up to meet her, and she felt her legs give out. She fell into the darkness.

The next _phase_, they ended up next to a large lake. It was heavily overgrown, and as they watched, fish popped to the surface, chasing flies.  
InuYasha staggered to the side, collapsing to his knees, both arms wrapped tightly around his stomach. His stomach lurched and rolled and leapt up into his throat. InuYasha forced it back, cursing it soundly, refusing to throw up in front of DarkWind.  
The ex-Kageri slid his backpack off, and put it on the ground. InuYasha was going to need a few minutes to recover. He took out a waterbag, and placed it on the ground next to the hanyou, for when he was ready. Then he turned, taking stock of his location.  
They were making rather good progress, he thought. They had already come farther than InuYasha could have run in a day. They would make three or four more trips like this before he would need to rest and eat. He wasn't sure how InuYasha would take that, but there was no getting around it.  
DarkWind looked around again, and found himself missing what he had been.  
For so long, he had been so powerful. There had been very little out of his reach. He could do just about anything...except make his own decisions. He had been chained, as it were, beholden to his master. And for most of the time, he did what his masters wanted. He destroyed things. Cities would be levelled, machines of war broken down into matchsticks. He could fly and scout out enemy armies. He could transport entire platoons to and from the battlefield. With DarkWind at his or her side, his masters conquored and defeated all who stood against them.  
When he had accepted Kagome as Master, it had suddenly been so _different_.  
Here was a master that wasn't the least bit interested in conquoring or fighting or invading. All she wanted was someone to teach her to use the Shikon. She needed a Kageri, someone who could enter her thoughts, to show her how to use and hold the power of the Shikon. At first, DarkWind had despaired. Why on earth was _he_ given to someone who had no interest in using him to his full potential?  
But he had come to discover what a rare gift Kagome was. She was kind. She was friendly. She refused...utterly _refused_...to treat him as an instrument of war, as a weapon. She insisted he eat, and sleep when he wanted to. She insisted he give his opinion and decision on things. He was asked to contribute to the group.  
And he had come to love the group. Miroku-Monk had been so distrustful of him at first...which was good. Kageri could be dangerous. But the monk had come to accept him, not only as an important part of what Kagome was doing, but as a _friend_!  
Kageri did not have _friends_. They had masters, and master's family, and they looked after them all. But they did not have _friends_.  
His affection for Kagome had become more than just the love of a Kageri for a master. He had started to come to love _Kagome_, as well. But he loved Tristar as well. They had been together far, far back, before either of them had become Kageri at all. Back at the Spire.  
His love for Kagome was the love of a drowning person to the one who saved them. Freed them. And it would never leave. Ever.  
But he knew Kagome was destined for InuYasha. And he was not saddened by that. For he loved Tristar.  
DarkWind regretted the loss of his powers...but he would never tell Kagome that. For she had given him more. So much more.  
Freedom.  
"Ok..." InuYasha sounded a little more stable now, and he walked towards DarkWind, wiping his mouth where he had drunk the water, "Let's go again."  
"You are certain?"  
"Yes, now let's go!"  
DarkWind nodded, and picked up his backpack, and reached for the hanyou's wrist again.

Kagome drifted.  
She had been dreaming a wonderful dream.  
Her and InuYasha had been on the beach. She didn't know if it was in his time or hers, because there was no one else around. The sun was shining, and it was warm, the sand was soft. The water was very blue.  
They had sat under an umbrella, on a towel, and Kagome had been wearing a bikini she had bought for this very day.  
At first InuYasha had been scandalized, then he had settled down some. It seemed to Kagome she could remember this having happened before, somehow, sometime, but it wasn't important right now.  
He had blushed when he looked at her, and she had really liked making him blush.  
Now she lay on the blanket, and she had asked him to put some lotion on her back. His hands were so warm, and strong, as he had worked the warm lotion into her skin.  
She slowly drifted up, through the layers of sleep.  
She lay on her stomach, her left cheek resting on her forearms.  
The light in her room was dim - it must be getting dark outside. Her room was warm, and there was a wonderful scent of cherry blossom coming from somewhere. She was comfortable and warm and lazy and sleepy.  
The feel of a hand on her shoulder roused her, slightly, warm skin on warm skin.  
Still groggy from sleep, she murmured, "InuYasha?"  
She stirred, lifting her head from where it rested on her arms, and she looked over her shoulder.  
Into Lord Haruki's face.  
Blinking, startled, she rolled away slightly, sleep falling away from her like a broken mirror, and as the last traces of sleep left her, she realized two things at the same time:  
Lord Haruki was kneeling on her bed, long hair undone, and he was completely naked.  
And so was she.


	5. Fight, Disguise, and Sneak

_Author's Note: This story has been rated M for violence and sexual imagery, including a near-rape scene._

Kagome made a sound of shock, and rolled sideways, off the futon, taking the upper blanket with her, literally rolling herself up in it as she went. She half crawled, half scrabbled to her feet, holding the blanket around her, running from the futon, half tripping on a loose blanket. She made it to the far side of the room, and turned, holding the rest of the blanket before her like a pillow, for extra cover.  
_"I'm sorry!"_ she cried, _"What happened!? Am I in your room? Did I come in by accident!? Oh God I'm so sorry!" _Her whole body felt cold with embarassment, her face felt like it was on fire.  
Lord Haruki smiled, and held out a hand to her, "It's ok, Kagome, don't be frightened. Come."  
Kagome looked away, keeping her gaze on the opposite wall, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to come in here! I don't know how I got here! I'm so sorry!"  
It slowly dawned on her that she was, in fact, in _her_ room, the one that had been given to her. She instinctively reached for the Shikon, and relaxed a little when she felt it was still there, with the sword pendant.  
Only her clothing had been removed.  
Lord Haruki laughed, still holding out his hand, "Come here, Kagome. I won't hurt you."  
Kagome kept her gaze pointedly away from him, "You need to put on some clothes. Please put on some clothes. I can't talk to you until you put on some clothes."  
Lord Haruki stood up, fully naked, smiling fondly at her. Kagome could see him in her peripheral vision, tall and lean, and very naked.  
He walked towards her, "Stop panicking, it's ok, Kagome."  
She sidled away, keeping to the wall, "Stop! Don't come any closer!"  
He stopped, "Kagome."  
"You _really_ need to put on some clothes," she said, faintly, "Before I scream. Ok? Just some pants. Pants are fine. Just pants will be _great._"  
"Kagome," he said, a little firmer, "Come to the bed."  
Kagome blinked at him, and suddenly looked away again, "What? No! There...there's been some sort of terrible mistake, ok? I don't know what happened, but just...just put on some pants, and we'll both just forget this happened. It's fine."  
"You aren't a child, Kagome. I doubt you're this innocent. It's very appealing, yes, but completely unnecessary."  
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Kagome cried, keeping her eyes riveted on a tapestry on the far wall, of cranes, wading in water, "I'm not doing anything! You're in my room, naked, and it's really starting to freak me out. _Please_ put on some pants!"  
He walked towards her, and she shuffled away. He spoke, "Look, Kagome. We both know what's going to happen. I want the Shikon. And I'm going to _have_ the Shikon."  
Kagome kept shifting away, moving as he moved, keeping as much room between them as possible, "I _told_ you, you can't _use_ it! And it can't be used against humans! It's completely worthless to you!"  
"I'll take that chance. If there's a chance I can use it to become Shogun, I will."  
Kagome feel cold and confused, "Sh - Shogun? No, it won't work. _You_ can't use it!"  
"Then I'll keep the one who _can!_"  
He strode forward, and clamped a hand on Kagome's upper arm. She shrieked, trying to pull away.  
Lord Haruki turned, and lightly threw her, flipping her over onto the pile of blankets sprawled on the bed. She went flying, her blanket went flying, and she half bounced onto the bed.  
She rolled over swiftly, grabbing up another sheet, yanking it to her, standing up, starting to back away, "You can't do that!"  
"I can do as I wish, Kagome, I am _Lord_ here!"  
He strode towards her again, reaching for her.  
Kagome shrieked again, darting under his hand, "You can't! I...I already have a lover! I'm taken!"  
His face started to darken, "Stop playing about, Kagome. Come here."  
She bolted to the sliding door, and using one hand, the other holding the sheet to her body, yanked desperately.  
It didn't budge.  
Lord Haruki moved towards her again, reaching out, "You have a lover, Kagome, but you are not married, and you have not been claimed by him."  
He grabbed her as she tried to dart clear, and turned, throwing her again.  
Kagome went sailing through the air, to land heavily on the bed. He was right behind her, and grabbed her, rolling her over onto her stomach.  
Kagome screamed in fury and fear, struggling.  
"When I have claimed you," he said, struggling to hold her still, "You will be unwanted. Tainted. I will wed you, and then both you and the Shikon will be mine."  
_"Get off me!"_  
He grabbed her shoulder, shoving her hard, down onto the bed, onto her stomach, one hand between her shoulder blades, holding her down.  
Kagome flailed, she kicked. Every chance she got, she struck out at him, trying to land a good, solid blow.  
"Hold _still_. I had hoped to do this in a more pleasant manner. I would have assured you enjoyed it, but you're refusing to co-operate."  
She screamed again, in utter fury.  
Suddenly, there was a pounding in the halls, and someone was knocking loudly on the frame to Kagome's room door.  
"Lord Haruki!"  
"Not now!" he cursed, pressing Kagome down into the blankets.  
"Lord Haruki, we're under attack!"  
He paused, hissing under his breath. Kagome squirmed, managing to land a kick on his upper thigh, but he hardly felt it.  
With a curse, he pushed her aside, and stood up. Kagome rolled over onto her back, gathering up an armful of blankets, yanking them to her, sliding backwards on the bed to stand, as far in the corner as possible.  
Lord Haruki stood, yanking a robe on, tying it with short, angry jerks. He reached for the door, and slid it back with a bang.  
Three men stood there, in full armor and weapons.  
"They're attacking at the east gate, my Lord," one of the men said, "A full army. I think it's the tribe again."  
"I grow tired of their arrogance," Lord Haruki said, savagely. He stepped out of the room, and paused.  
Looking at Kagome over his shoulder, he spoke to one of the guards.  
"Post a guard at this door. She is not to leave this room."  
"Yes, my lord."  
Lord Haruki slid the door shut, leaving Kagome alone.  
For a second, she stood there, heart pounding, eyes wide with shock. Her body trembled with adrenelin, with a need to run or strike out.  
Slowly, she sank down, onto the bed, staring wide-eyed at the door, still clutching the blankets to her.  
She flinched as the door suddenly slid back, and Yusa slipped in, wide-eyed and pale. She had heard Kagome screaming from outside, but hadn't been allowed to enter.  
Swiftly, she crossed the floor, and knelt on the bed beside the other woman, who was clutching blankets to herself as if they were a life support system.  
"Kagome? Are you...are you alright?"  
Kagome turned her shocked gaze to Yusa, and spoke, gently.  
"I...I'm not sure."  
She burst into tears.

InuYasha staggered to the side, and fell to his knees, retching.  
His head swam, and his stomach was furious at him.  
Nothing came up, because he hadn't eaten for a while.  
He had hoped that by not eating, he could control the sickness he felt when being phased. But sadly, that wasn't how it worked. Now he just dry-heaved, and his stomach ached.  
After a second, he stood, shaky, sweaty, and exhausted. He put his hands on a tree, and rested his forheard against him, eyes closed.  
_I can do this. Just a little farther. She might need me. I can't stop because my stomach is sick. It'll pass, I'll make it pass..._  
He heard DarkWind drop his backpack, and turned, looking blearily at him.  
The ex-Kageri was gathering firewood, putting it into a pile.  
"What..." he paused, swallowing hard, "What are you doing?"  
"I am building a fire."  
"What for?" InuYasha turned, walking away from the tree.  
"To boil tea. You need to eat something, as do I."  
"No. We don't have time t-"  
"We must _make_ the time, InuYasha-Warrior. You are getting weaker because you are not resting between jumps."  
"I'm not weak!" he angrilly protested.  
DarkWind walked over to him, as if looking curiously at him. He reached out a finger, and placed it on InuYasha's forhead.  
"What th-"  
DarkWind gave an easy push.  
InuYasha flailed, going over onto his butt with a hollar.  
"You have no balance, InuYasha-Warrior. You are dizzy. And weak. You will drink tea, and you will eat. As will I. Then we will continue."  
"Godsdamnit!" InuYasha cursed, as he sprawled on the ground, "What part of 'we don't have time' aren't you getting!? You expect me to sit here and eat while she could be getting gutted or something!?"  
DarkWind poured out the water into a small metal container, and set it on the fire, "I do, yes, because there is nothing else that can be done."  
_"You're a bastard idiot!"_ the hanyou hollared, all mouth, "You expect me to believe that you once cared for Kagome, and now you're sitting there getting ready for high tea while she's missing!?"  
DarkWind paused, and his face darkened. He turned to InuYasha.  
"Do _not_ mistake my calm demeanor for disconcern, InuYasha-Warrior. I am worried about Kagome-Master too. Only Kageri live a long time, and we have learned to accept and use patience. I cannot sense her. It pains me that I cannot go to her as I once did, and free her. It pains me that I cannot find her easily, as I once did. But I can _only_ do what I _can_ do, which is travel towards her as fast as I am able. And to do that, I need to rest, and eat."  
His face gentled, "As do you. You will be of no use to Kagome-Master if you cannot even lift Tetsusaiga, you are so weak from vomiting."  
"And how am I supposed to sit here and eat not knowing what's happening to her!?"  
"You put it out of your mind, InuYasha-Warrior."  
InuYasha stood up, glowering at the ex-Kageri, "That's betrayal. Ignoring her, when she could be suffering!"  
DarkWind added some tea leaves to the pot, stirring lightly, "Tell me something. When a soldier knows his general is going into battle, what does he do?"  
"I ain't interested in your warped stories!"  
DarkWind continued as if InuYasha hadn't spoken, "He sharpens his sword, and checks his armor. He does not think about the villagers that may be getting invaded as he does this. Because what point? He cannot go to them. He cannot save them. So he puts them out of his mind, while he girds himself for war.  
But when he does go to war, _then_ he thinks of them, and his sword flashes for justice."  
"And what good does that do if the villagers are dead!?"  
"I do not know," DarkWind said, taking out some steamed vegetables, and putting them on two seperate plates, "All I know, is that the warrior does everything he can, so that when he can avenge the villager, he is ready. And you must do the same."  
He held out a plate to InuYasha.  
Cursing under his breath, he took a plate, and sat, and started to eat.

Kagome paced back and forth in the room, chewing on her fingernails. She had gone all over the entire room, looking for any way to break out. She had a thin red robe on, that fell to her knees.  
_There has to be a way out. There's __**always**__ a way out._  
She heard voices talking, lowly, just outside her room, and she turned, heart rising up in her throat. She turned, and picked up a candle holder, and brandished it in both hands, the only thing she could try to use as a weapon.  
The door unlocked, and slid back, and Lady Mai entered.  
"Lady Mai!" Kagome stepped forward, relief thick in her voice.  
"Kagome, are you ok?"  
"I..."  
Kagome wasn't sure how to proceed. It was her husband, after all, and she clearly loved him.  
"I heard what happened," Lady Mai said, "You should reconsider, Kagome."  
Kagome blinked, "Wh-what?"  
"He's a good man. And you certainly wouldn't want for anything. He's very rich."  
"I..." Kagome just stared, wide-eyed, "I don't care! I have someone! I told you, remember!? And why did you tell Haruki that I wasn't...that I hadn't...that was just between _us!_"  
Lady Mai smiled, "Nothing is just between us, dear. And it's true, isn't it? Your lover has no real claim on you, afterall. You're still virgin."  
Kagome just stared.  
"Look, let me explain what is going to happen," Lady Mai said gently, "My Lord husband wants the Shikon. And what he wants, he gets. He _always_ gets. You're very lucky, you know. He could have just taken it from you. But as soon as he saw you, he liked you. You're bright and fresh, and lovely. He's very upset over what happened to you. So he'll claim you, and marry you. You can pay him back by using this Shikon for him."  
"No!" Kagome yelled, angry. How could this woman just...  
Lady Mai sighed, "Kagome, it's going to happen. When he comes back from this skirmish, he's going to come back here, and claim you. Your current 'lover' won't want you anymore. Just accept it. If you stop being a child over it, he can make you very happy. He's a _very_ skilled lover, and I can assure you, if you go to him willingly, he won't make it hurt at all."  
_"I can't believe you're saying this!"_ Kagome yelled, _"Are you even hearing yourself!?"_  
Lady Mai stood up, gathering up her robes, "I'll have a drink sent up. It will help you relax, and be more accepting of his attentions. It will help. Please drink it."  
She turned, and walked out.  
Kagome started furiously at the door. How could she have just...just...what kind of woman could...  
She pitched the candleholder at the door as hard as she was able, but it struck the frame and bounced off, rattling to the floor.  
She felt the tears start to threaten.  
_I really need you, InuYasha. God I wish you were here._  
She went back to pacing.

It was about 5 minutes later, that she heard voices outside her door again. Two were of the guards posted there, but two were strange and gravelly, and she couldn't make them out.  
After a moment, the door slid back, and two hunched old women came in.  
Kagome could only tell they were women as they had breasts, but that was it. Old women with old figures, they were all hunched, fattish, and slow moving. They wore brown robes with hoods that covered their faces. They seemed very stooped.  
"Ah child," one grated as the door slid shut behind her, "We came to check on ye, make sure ye had healed well since we last were here."  
"I healed fine, thanks," Kagome said, numbly.  
The two women said nothing, just stood there for a moment, unmoving. It was as if they had both suddenly become statues.  
Kagome started to speak, when one whispered hoarsly, "_Hush_."  
Blinking, Kagome shut up.  
After a minute, one seemed to turn to the other one, and gave a nod.  
Both raised their hands, and pulled off their hoods.  
They weren't old women at all. One seemed to be about 30. The other was Yusa.  
Kagome said nothing, just staring in shock.  
Yusa seemed to reach inside her clothing, and Kagome heard two soft clicks. Yusa stood up, grimacing.  
They were wearing strange, thick padding, which Yusa started to unwind from about herself. When she threw down the padding, Kagome saw she was wearing a strange, leather harness. Composed oh thick leather straps, two were wrapped around her thighs, two around her upper arms, one around her belly, one just above her breasts, around her back. Long straps dangled from her arms as she moved.  
Kagome whispered, "Yusa?"  
"It's ok, Kagome," Yusa said, speaking very softly, "We're going to get you out."  
"I..." hope blossomed in Kagome's heart, and she couldn't talk.  
Yusa motioned to the other hunched woman, "This is Azuza. She's...well..."  
"I'm currently a "wise-woman" employed by Lord Haruki," Azuza said, "As an astrologer and seer. He has a a great deal of respect for them."  
Yusa knelt and rummaged in the padding she had unwound from herself, and took out a simple pair of short pants and a short sleeved shirt, both grey.  
"Take off your clothing, Kagome. Hurry."  
Kagome's head was spinning, but she did as she was bid. Slipping off her robe, she was naked underneath, and she shivered.  
Yusa stripped down to nothing, and stood beside Kagome, looking at Azuza. The other woman reached inside her clothing, and again, Kagome heard the double click. Then she stood up straight, and took out a small black vial.  
"How are you going to get me out?" Kagome whispered, her arms around herself, trying hard not to shiver, stepping from foot to foot, "He'll get angry when I'm gone, won't he? Won't you get in trouble?"  
"No, because he won't know you're gone," Azuza said, "Hush now, and let me concentrate. Lower your arms, I need to see your entire body."  
Feeling awkward, Kagome did as she was told. Beside her, also naked, Yusa whispered, "Lord Haruki has seen you naked already, so he knows what you look like. So Azuza has to be sure I look _exactly_ like you."  
Kagome gasped, looking at the other woman, "What? Yusa, you can't!"  
"It's ok, Kagome," Yusa said, blushing, "I...I don't mind."  
"But he'll _hurt_ you!"  
"No. You heard Lady Mai. If you're quiet, and gentle, and sorry for how you acted, he'll be very gentle. And you will be. You'll tell him you were just really shocked, and scared. But now you reconsidered. And you had that drink. And you're ok with it, as long as it's nice. And it will be."  
Kagome stared at Yusa, "But..._Yusa_..."  
"I don't mind, Kagome. I...I've felt this way for him since I first met him, so long ago. I know he's not always a good man, but...I'm ok with this. Really."  
Kagome didn't know what to say. She felt horrible, but she also wanted out, so badly.  
Azuza nodded, then handed the dark vial to Yusa, "Here. Drink. Kagome, put on those clothes. Hurry."  
Yusa took the vial, and drank.  
Kagome pulled on the clothing as fast as she could. The pants came halfway up her shins, and were a little loose, but she was covered. Hearing a strange noise, she turned, and blinked, shocked, to see herself looking back at her.  
"Did it work?" Yusa said, in Kagome's voice.  
"How...how did you do that?" Kagome asked, weakly.  
"Azuza is a very powerful Miko," Yusa said, in Kagome's voice.  
Reaching into the padding, Yusa even pulled out what looked disturbingly like the Shikon. Kagome gasped, "What..."  
"It's just a pearl, painted pink," Yusa said, "But it'll fool him for now. As for the other thing you wear, I'll have to say I threw it out."  
"Why are you helping me?"  
"Because Lord Haruki and I are not friends," Azuza said, her voice hardening, "Now. Come here."  
Kagome watched, as Azuza started tying the strange harness onto her, around her thighs and arms, "What is this?"  
"Did you see how I walked when I came in? Both myself and Yusa?"  
"Yes?"  
"That's this harness. This, and the padding, make you an old woman. You cannot walk, except like an old woman with bad arthritis. You cannot run at all. If someone suspects you are faking, and they push you, you will fall over like an old woman and you will have a hard time getting up again. The straps keep your joints from moving too much, as if you were crippled with age."  
"That...that's amazing."  
Azuza wrapped Kagome in the padding, and now Kagome saw it gave her an old woman's shape, too. Larger, lower breasts, thick waist, big hips.  
Azuza pushed Kagome over, hunching her down, then snapped together the leather straps.  
Kagome couldn't move. She could just manage to shuffle. Already, her back was starting to hurt.  
Yusa, now dressed as Kagome had been, threw the robe onto Kagome, and pulled the hood up.  
Azuza did up her own harness, and pulled on her robe.  
"Keep your head down. Your hood up. Don't talk to anyone. If you have no choice, _don't_ try to sound like an old woman, you can never do it right. Just whisper and sort of growl. Like you're hoarse. Hoarse and whispering can't be aged."  
"But...Yusa. What will happen after? I mean...eventually he'll know I'm gone! Will she be ok?"  
"She'll be fine. We have it planned. The potion will wear off in about three days. We have it taken care of. When we get you outside, you'll meet up with some friends of mine. They'll take care of you, until we find a way to get you back home."  
Tears threatened to fall, and she shoved them back.  
"Thank you. So much."  
Yusa, as Kagome, walked over and sat on Kagome's bed, combing out her hair. Kagome turned and shuffled out the door behind Azuza. As the older woman shuffled out the door, she called back.  
"The drink will calm ye, child. Now rest."  
"Yes, ok," came Kagome's voice from the room. It made Kagome's skin crawl to hear herself in the room behind her.  
The guards slid the door shut, and locked it again.  
Kagome shuffled down the long corridor behind Azuza, trying her best to keep up. Her back ached badly, and she wondered how long it had taken Azuza to get used to moving in it.  
Maybe she hadn't.  
They passed through another door, and again, on up a long hallway. Kagome said nothing. She was terrified.  
As they came to another sliding door, it was opened, to reveal Lady Mai standing there, just about to come through. Kagome fought every instinct to keep from shrinking back. She suddenly felt like she was glowing, as if Mia would see right through her robe and cloak, and find her out.  
"Oh," the lovely woman blinked, and she nodded at Azuza, "Mira, did you deliver that drink to Kagome?"  
"Yes, my Lady," Azuza rasped, bowing as best as she was able, "I did. She drank it while I was there."  
"Oh good. Things will be better now. Was it easy to get her to drink it, or did you have to trick her?"  
Kagome's emotions swung from fury to fear, to despair, and back to fury as Mai discussed her as if she were a side of beef.  
"Nay. She understands now. She was merely taken by surprise, and it was all just fright. Things should be well."  
"Oh good. I like Kagome. She's such a breath of fresh air, and Lord Haruki was smitten with her the moment he saw her. When he learned she had the Shikon, well, that just sealed the cap."  
"Yes, my lady."  
Lady Mai looked closely at Kagome, "Is this the new healer we hired last month?"  
"It is, my Lady," Azuza said, "My sister."  
"And how are you fitting in here?" Lady Mai asked Kagome.  
Kagome froze. She was terrified, and her mouth dried up. At the last minute, she remembered Azuza's advice, and she half whispered, half growled, "Well, thank you my Lady."  
"Goodness! She sounds like she has a terrible cold!"  
"Just the air here," Azuza wheezed, chuckling, "It's damper than she's used to, and she has a sore throat."  
Kagome bowed.  
"Well, take care of it. We don't want our healers getting sick."  
With that, Lady Mai swept past Kagome and Azuza, and walked on.  
Kagome thought she was going to faint. She hobbled along behind Azuza.  
After what seemed like an eternity, just when Kagome thought her legs were going to give out on her, they approached an exterior sliding door. The guards opened it, and fresh night air came blowing in through. Kagome thought she had never smelled anything so sweet in her life.  
The two 'old women' walked outside, heading down a long pathway. She didn't say anything, following Azuza's lead, leaving it all up to her.  
They walked, and walked, and walked. By this time, Kagome's back was in agony, and she was biting her lower lip to keep from crying. Azuza lead her behind some trees, and paused.  
"Thank the Gods," she said, and unsnapping her harness, stood up.  
Kagome unsnapped her harness, and discovered she couldn't stand up. Her back ached too badly. She wobbled, and fell over onto her hands and knees. Flopping over onto her side, she slowly stretched herself out, groaning.  
"My back..." she half whimpered.  
"It's something you get used to," Azuza said, pushing back her robe, "Come on, up."  
Kagome slowly got to her feet, staggering a little. She pushed the hood back on her robe, taking a deep gulp of fresh, cool, night air. She pulled off the robe, and started unwinding the padding from around her. Azuza helped.  
"Look up, Kagome. Can you see that star there, off to the side?"  
Kagome looked up, and saw the star Azuza pointed at, "Yes."  
"Follow that. Straight, or as straight as you can. If you hear anyone walking in the forest, anything like that, hide. Don't use that thing-" she pointed at the Shikon, "-because Kenpeki might sense it. Just hide. Haruki's men sometimes patroll out here."  
"But...you said you had friends that would help me. How will they find me if I'm hiding?"  
Azuza smiled a strange, knowing smile, "Don't worry, they'll find you. Now, go. And be careful."  
"I don't know why you're helping me, but thank you, so much," Kagome said, looking intently at Azuza, "You said he wasn't your friend, but this is still a big risk."  
Azuza paused in the act of re-attaching her harness, and looked at Kagome.  
"I don't know how much you've heard in that palace, Kagome, but let me tell you a quick story. 'Lord' Haruki was a samurai, and a very good one. But he wanted too much power, and went after his lord. He was defeated, and declared ronin. He decided he would be his own lord. He came here, and set up. The people that lived here didn't want him, they didn't take him as their Lord. But he attacked. Those that refused to follow him were killed. My family was killed by him. As were some...friends of mine. Friends you're going to be meeting soon. They hate him with a passion. Even if you _weren't_ a good person, they would help you, just to hinder Haruki, understand?"  
Kagome nodded, "I do, yes. I'm still in your debt, though. And please be careful, you and Yusa both."  
Azuza smiled, and pulled up her hood, turning, and hobbling back up the path.  
Kagome watched her go, her heart pounding in her chest, then turned, and started following the star.

The night seemed to drag on. Kagome found following a star was harder than she could have imagined, and she thought about the story of the Christian religion, where three wise men suppossedly followed a star.  
_Sure,_ she thought bitterly, _They were in a desert. They didn't have a forest to crawl through._  
She was scratched, poked and rubbed raw. She followed open paths and trails where she could, but it seemed most went in the opposite direction, or she was afraid it would leave her too exposed. She was often forced to crawl around trees and shrubs, and there were times she lost sight of it completely in the thick canopy overhead. She would walk and walked, terrified she was going in the wrong way. When she would come to a little clearing, she would look about, wildly, until she saw it again. Sometimes she went the right way, sometimes not.  
She splashed through a small river, stopping to drink deeply. The cold water revived her, filled her empty belly, and made her feel energized.  
Twice she heard voices. Terrified, she crawled deep into shrubs and huddled, quiet as a mouse, not wanting to say anything. She was terrified they would find her, somehow know her, and drag her back, kicking and screaming, to Haruki.  
The voices would fade, and when it was silent, she would crawl back out, bleeding a little from scratches and scrapes, to continue on again.  
The third time she heard voices, she slid into some brush, and hid there, not moving, her heart pounding.  
The voices stopped, and she wasn't sure if they had left or not. It was so utterly silent.  
"You can come out," a voice said suddenly, so near her she almost shrieked, "It's ok."  
Kagome didn't move. She hunched, her body refusing to listen to her.  
"Come on, we don't have all night," the voice spoke again, "Azuza said you'd be here somewhere. Come on, let's go."  
Hearing the other woman's name spoken gave her a little courage, and she slowly slid out of the brush.  
Four young men stood there, looking at her. They wore odd clothing; bits of fur, bits of armor, bits of cloth. Three hung back, one holding a torch, while the fourth was closest to her.  
He was enormous.  
He had very short light brown hair, somewhat spiky, and dark eyes. Muscles protruded on his arms and thighs. His arms were crossed, his face stern, although when he saw her slip out, his face softened a little.  
"There you are. Alright. It's ok, don't be scared. You're safe now."  
Kagome shivered. She only came up to the guy's mid-chest.  
"Th-thanks."  
She studied them all as they studied her, and suddenly, she realized there was something very familiar about them. Just the way they stood. The way they moved. The way they _dressed_.  
They had pointed ears.  
Kagome blinked, "You're all Wolf Demons!"  
The four of them blinked back at her, startled.  
"Yeah...how did you know that?" the large one asked, wary.  
"I...uh..know some."  
"Oh yeah?" the big one's face grew stern, "That right? Like who?"  
Kagome suddenly wished she had kept her mouth shut, "Uh...his...his name's Kouga."  
"_Kouga_, huh?" the big one asked. The other three exchanged glances.  
_Oh no, why did I open my mouth?_  
"You a friend of Kouga's?" the big one asked, "Or an enemy?"  
"I...I...which are you?" she asked, leery.  
"I asked you first," the big Wolf Demon asked. Behind him, the other three looked restless.  
"I'm not saying anything until you tell _me_," Kagome stated.  
"Why's that?"  
Kagome grew frantic, and it made her angry, "Because if I say I'm Kouga's friend and you're _not_ Kouga's friend then you're going to get angry at me even though I don't know you or anything so I'm not going to say whether or not he's my friend or enemy until _you_ tell me what _you_ are!"  
The three Wolf Demons blinked, and exchanged glances again.  
The huge Wolf Demon gazed down at her, sternly, not moving, his arms crossed. He looked like a tree, unmoving. His eyes seemed to pierce into her very soul.  
Suddenly, he smiled. His entire face lit up.  
"You must be Kagome!"  
Kagome blinked.  
The giant Wolf Demon laughed, "I'm Hotaru! Kouga's my cousin! Second or third twice removed, or something like that! We grew up together as little kids!"  
Everything inside Kagome melted, and she gave him a wavery smile, "Oh _good_. Because I'm too tired to run for my life anymore. I really am."  
"No worries about that!" Hotaru laughed. Startling Kagome, he reached out, grabbed her up, and threw her onto his back. They all turned, making their way back the trail. To Kagome, it felt like riding on the back of a bear.  
"I'm not having my something-something-cousin's betrothed walking if she's tired!" he boomed, happily.  
_Oh no._ Kagome thought weakly.


	6. Girl Talk, Arrival at the Palace

Kagome was taken to a place where she could rest. It was an underground cave, with a dark tunnel. At first, she wasn't sure she wanted to go in. It was pitch black in there, and seemed like a hole to hell or something. But swallowing her fear, she followed Hotaru down. A part of her mind wondered if Hotaru was going to get stuck. He was forced to crouch slightly, and led her in. She gripped the Shikon, ready to bolt it need be. Even though Azuza said they could be trusted, even though Hotaru said he was related to Kouga, Kagome wasn't sure she was ready to start trusting strangers. She had trusted Lady Mai and Lord Haruki, and look where that got her.  
But after a few seconds, she saw light up ahead, creeping around Hotaru's giant frame, and she stepped out behind him into a natural grotto. It was a huge cave, with a large lake. Vines grew down from a small hole overhead, and they flowered, little red and white flowers. Inside this natural cave were several smaller caves. A huge central fire lit the entire cavern, and moonlight streamed down through the natural hole in the top of the cave.  
Here women were getting children ready for sleep. The younger ones were already sleeping, wrapped in furs and quiet. They were being carried into the smaller cave to sleep. Older children were being washed or tucked into beds. A few of the women paused, and looked over at Hotaru, curiously. One stood, not much taller than Kagome, and approached, a smile on her face.  
Her hair was very dark, and very short, not much longer than Miroku's. It had a slight natural wave to it. Her eyes were a lovely green.  
"Is this the prisoner, Hotaru?"  
Alarm filled Kagome, until she heard the massive man next to her say, "Yeah, this is Haruki's prisoner. Azuza got her out, just fine. She's a little shaken up, though. You know Haruki."  
A dark shadow passed over the other woman's face, and she nodded, "Yes, I do." She smiled at Kagome again, "What's your name, miss?"  
"I...I'm Kagome."  
"This is Kouga's betrothed!" Hotaru gleefully cried.  
"Oh!" the other woman smiled.  
_Oh no, not again. I guess Kouga hasn't visited these people since I explained we weren't together. What will they do when they find out?_  
"Well, come and sit, Kagome," the other woman said, "I'm Megumi. You're safe here."  
"Thank you," Kagome said faintly.  
Megumi smiled at Hotaru, "I'll take care of her here, Hotaru. Did you run into any trouble out there?"  
"Naaah," Hotaru grinned, crossing his massive arms, "A few guards, but we snuck past them, easy."  
Kagome faintly wondered how Hotaru could sneak past anything.  
"I'll leave her in your hands, then," Hotaru said, "I know she'll be fine."  
Megumi faintly blushed, and smiled, "Thank you. Come this way, Kagome."  
Kagome followed behind the female wolf demon, glancing behind her to watch Hotaru crouch again and make his way back up the tunnel.  
"This is...uh...interesting," Kagome said, looking around at the caves.  
Megumi smiled, "Yes. It's a natural cave with perfect little hollows for families."  
Kagome noticed there were a _lot_ of women in there, and children. There were a few men, but not a lot.  
"Is this...um...why..."  
Megumi looked over her shoulder at Kagome.  
Kagome continued, "I can't help but notice there are a lot of women in here. Are there more women wolf demons in this pack than men?"  
Megumi softly laughed, "Oh no. But this place is for families, or unwed women. Unattached males generally don't come in here. They have their own place, a bachelor's grotto.  
Kagome nodded, "Oh."  
Megumi walked over to a hollow carved into the cavern wall, with vines hanging down over the entrance. She pushed it back, and motioned Kagome to enter.  
She did, and sat on the furs in the center.  
Megumi looked her over, "Hmm. Your clothing is torn. I'll have some replacements for you. Are you hungry, or thirsty?"  
Kagome shook her head, and hesitantly crossed her arms over her chest, "No, I'm good, thanks."  
Megumi fell silent, and spoke gently, "Kagome, did he...?"  
Kagome smiled at Megumi, but her smile felt a little quaky, "No. But it...it was close. Really close. I...um..." she started to shiver, "His guards came to the door and said they were under attack so he had to leave. But he put a guard on the door so I couldn't leave, and he...uh...he was...supposed to...come back..."  
Megumi spoke gently, "You've never had someone force unwanted attention on you like that before, have you?"  
Kagome shook her head, looking at her feet.  
Megumi walked over, and sat beside her, and startled Kagome by taking her hands.  
"Listen to me. It's good nothing happened, but if it had...well...it means nothing. Do you understand?"  
Kagome blinked at her.  
"I suppose it's different for you humans," Megumi said gently, "Your men often have a very strange sense of what is right and wrong. Sometimes a man leaves a woman who has become 'soiled' through no fault of her own. I am lucky. Wolf Demons do not see it that way. They see only a crime that must be punished, but the woman is not to blame."  
Kagome stirred, "I...where I come from, it's the same. Pretty much."  
Megumi nodded, "And while it's natural to feel...devastated if it happens...nothing is worse than death. Do you understand?"  
Kagome looked at her, confused.  
Megumi sighed, and spoke softly.  
"I had a very good human friend, Kagome. She was Azuza's sister. She was raped, by Lord Haruki. And I was raped by a demon he had with him at the time."  
Kagome paled, "Kenpeki?"  
Megumi shook her head, "No. This was before he arrived. But she...my friend, she...took it...badly. She kept insisting her honour was gone. She couldn't get past what had been done to her. It was hard for me, too, but she...she died. Inside. I was angry at her, because it had been done _to_ her. It was similar to being punched, or kicked or...but she didn't see it that way. And she killed herself."  
Kagome put a hand to her mouth.  
Megumi squeezed Kagome's hands, "I do not want to see another woman do that. Victimize herself when she has already been a victim."  
Kagome shook her head, still shivering, "No, I...I wouldn't...I don't see it like that. Nothing is ever worse than death."  
Megumi smiled sadly, "Good."  
Kagome took a deep breath, steadying herself, "The...one who..."  
Megumi smiled, and it was a cold smile, "I killed him myself."  
Kagome nodded.  
"Now then," Megumi stood up, "I will bring you food, and drink, and clothing. You can share the bed with me tonight."  
"Thank you."

Kagome found herself in furs once more, the way she had so long ago, the time Kouga had re-kidnapped her to have her help him with some trouble he was in. They ate fish and rice, and for the first time in what felt like a very long time, she relaxed.  
"So...if you don't mind me asking," Kagome said, "Why do you all hate Lord Haruki so much? Azuza said that he took lands when he came here...were they yours?"  
Megumi nodded, finishing off a piece of fish, "They were. We fought back, but he had many strange, powerful demons with him at the time, and we lost many good friends and family."  
"I'm sorry," Kagome said.  
"I lost my parents," Megumi said, "And Hotaru lost his wife."  
Kagome fell silent, not sure what to say. She remembered the faint blush Megumi had when Hotaru spoke kindly to her, and she realized much was happening here.  
"I...I'm sorry."  
"He is very angry at Lord Haruki. That is why he fights. That is why we all fight."  
"But if he doesn't have those demons now, why don't you go and fight back?"  
"It is more difficult to remove someone who has put down roots. We would have to breach the walls, and get past his army. We are Wolf Demons, yes, but he has many, many, many soldiers. Even a giant beetle can be pulled down by hundreds of ants. We have tried, and we lost more pack members. And now he has that...that _creature_ Kenpeki with him."  
Kagome watched the other woman.  
"Kenpeki is the strongest Demon I have ever met. He killed over 30 of our pack mates with one swing of his sword once." She sighed, "We will win, someday. But not today."  
Smiling, Megumi stretched out on the furs. She had lit a candle, and it was warm and cheery inside the little cave.  
"So...tell me of Kouga."  
Kagome suddenly felt very uncomfortable, and she fussed with her fish, "Oh, uh..."  
Megumi smiled, "You and he are not really betrothed, are you?"  
Kagome looked up, blinking.  
Megumi chuckled, "He visited here once, and talked of you. He told of how you were the perfect mate for him, first because you could see these things called the _Jewel Shards_ but then because of how wonderful you were, how loyal, how beautiful, how perfect."  
Kagome blushed.  
"But he never once said how _you_ felt about _him_. He never once said how you both talked of the future, or even told us of how you had spent any romantic time together. I started to realize all this seemed to be on _Kouga's_ side."  
Kagome nodded, watching Megumi closely, "I like Kouga, I do! He's really nice to me, and kind, and gentle, and...but I never really _agreed_ to be his betrothed!"  
Megumi rested her head on her arms, watching Kagome, chuckling, "Kouga, and Hotaru, are very dense sometimes. You have to hit them on the head with a rock before they stop dreaming and actually hear you."  
Kagome laughed.  
"Does he know?"  
"Yes," Kagome nodded, "I finally got him to understand, a while back."  
"How did he take it?"  
"Not well, not at first. He was really hurt. Maybe I should have been a lot more pushy. Maybe I _should_ have hit him over the head with a rock. But I think we're good now."  
Megumi smiled, "Good."  
Kagome, oddly, started to feel like she was with one of her girlfriends, talking about boys and gossipping. She relaxed, finally feeling like she wasn't under constant attack.  
"So who gave you that pendant you wear?"  
Kagome blinked at Megumi, and blushed, "The pendant?"  
"The sword. You wear it next to your heart, under your shirt. That was a lover's gift, wasn't it?"  
Kagome blushed brighter, and touched it, lightly, under her shirt, "Yes."  
It felt nice to have a woman who didn't instantly blink when she told him her lover had given her a _sword_ pendant, of all things. A woman who didn't instantly say, "That's weird token of affection."  
"And who is he?"  
"He..his name is InuYasha."  
Megumi blinked, and sat up, _"InuYasha?!"_  
Kagome blinked, shocked, "You...you know him?"  
Megumi started to laugh.  
"M-Megumi?"  
"Oh poor Kouga," Megumi sighed, giggling, "He told us about this..ah...'pathethic half-breed' named InuYasha who was 'convinced him and Kagome have something, even though they _don't_.' "  
Kagome sighed.  
"So InuYasha was right all along, then. What's he like?"  
"He's..." once again, Kagome tried to put the hanyou into words. InuYashs was extremely difficult to describe.  
"He's strong, and powerful. And gentle. And kind. And sometimes arrogant. And bossy. Though he's really shy, too. _Very_ headstrong."  
Megumi laughed, "He's a walking contradiction, then."  
"Exactly," Kagome laughed.  
"And what does he look like?"  
Kagome described him in detail, almost wanting to close her eyes and think about him. She missed him, horribly. She didn't think she had ever missed him as much as she did right now.  
_I'd give anything just to see his face,_ she thought, then laughed at herself, _And you thought you could just walk away from him, stop loving him. Sure, Kagome. Sure._  
"What...about you?" Kagome asked Megumi.  
The other woman colored, and looked away, no longer smiling, "There is no one."  
Kagome fell silent, then spoke, "No one? At all?"  
Megumi looked back at Kagome, and spoke softly, "You already know, don't you?"  
"Well, I...it's obvious to another woman, I guess. Does _he_ know?"  
Megumi sighed, and rolled over onto her back, hands behind her head, and looked up at the roof of the small cavern, "I think he does. I haven't been able to hide it very well. When he goes into combat, I worry, and he can see I worry. I try to look after him, but it's not easy.  
His wife is between us."  
Kagome was silent. Megumi raised her arms over her head, stretching, still speaking.  
"She was a wonderful woman, and I do not blame him for loving her. But she is gone now. And I am here. And yet he still sees her shadow. I would never think to replace her. I just want to love him, and be loved by him too. It is a hard thing, Kagome, to be set aside for a woman who is dead."  
_You have no idea how much I understand._ Kagome thought, then added, _Of course, Kikyo was still around, wasn't she? It must be even harder for Megumi._  
Megumi sighed, then rolled over, "It's very late. We should sleep."  
Kagome blew out the candle, and slipped under the furs, and fell asleep.

InuYasha and DarkWind made good time. Frusterated, InuYasha had to wait while DarkWind ate and rested, but even he had to admit they had come further than if he had been running. At this rate, they would be there early the next day.  
He stood on a thick branch, looking south, over the forest, while the ex-Kageri sat on the ground below, resting his back against the tree, eyes closed. InuYasha could see the strain the repeated jumps were taking on DarkWind, but he needed to keep moving.  
Tristar had told him she was ok, she hadn't bled much, which meant she was probably mostly uninjured. But he just couldn't rest until he saw her again. There was such an overpowering _need_ to see her for himself, to make sure she was ok. To see her, to talk to her, to be able to ask her himself if she was ok, if she was hurt, if she needed anything.  
He was her protector. It didn't matter if he was _told_ she was ok, or even _who_ told him. He had to see with his own eyes before he could relax.  
His traitorous mind kept bringing images he didn't want to his brain. Kagome and Jemu, in the forest. Kagome, being hit repeatedly...  
_"He hit her and hit her and hit her!"_  
Jemu grinning at her as he attacked her, feeling vindicated for the fact she had broken free of his spell though the help of her friends. That she had managed to tell them what had happened to her without his knowing about it. Thanks to Miroku.  
Images of her trying to get away, terrified, screaming, calling out to _him_, screaming for help.  
Help that never came.  
_"She called for you, but I guess you didn't hear her."_  
His claws gouged into the tree bark.  
He clenched his teeth so hard, the muscles in his jaw jumped. He took a long, shaky breath, loosening his jaw, slowly untensing all his muscles. As DarkWind said, it wouldn't do her any good to whip himself into a frenzy all the way out here, working off his anger, and then being at less than his peak if she _did_ need him.  
Suddenly, he thought of Sango, Shippo, and Miroku, and he closed his eyes, sighing.  
They were going to kill him.  
He could hear them now, yelling at him, furious he had left them behind, hadn't even shown them the decent courtesy of telling them what he was planning.  
But he had been going to _DarkWind_, and having to ask the Kageri for help had been so galling, it _burned_ to think of having an audience.  
He could hear the monk now, could just imagine the sort of things he would say to InuYasha.  
_"Do you honestly think we cared about that, InuYasha!? Forgive us, but your ego was the last thing on our minds! Kagome was in trouble, and we wanted to help! We wanted to help bring her back, not just to you, but to __**us**__."_  
InuYasha suddenly grinned.  
Miroku, for a monk, could certainly get heated up when he lost his cool.  
"InuYasha-Warrior?"  
InuYasha blinked, and looked down, to see DarkWind getting to his feet, "DarkWind?"  
"We should continue now. I am rested."  
InuYasha frowned. The ex-Kageri sounded...a little fainter than he had been.  
InuYasha hopped down, landing beside DarkWind, and blinked to see he looked a little pale.  
"What's the matter with you?" he asked.  
DarkWind shook his head, "No matter. Come, we need to go."  
"Don't tell me what matters and what doesn't. I need you in top form, damnit. Are you sick or something?"  
DarkWind smiled faintly, "No, just tired. My powers are..."  
InuYasha frowned, "Are what?"  
"Nothing. Come, le-"  
_"Are what, damnit!?"_  
DarkWind sighed, "I only have limited powers now, InuYasha-Warrior."  
"Yeah, I know that, that's why you're resting. So?"  
DarkWind shook his head, "No. I'm afraid resting will not completely bring them back. I am losing them now."  
InuYasha frowned, "What the hell are you saying, DarkWind, spit it out."  
DarkWind sighed, "Think of a glass of water, InuYasha-Warrior. The water within are as my powers. They get used, and the glass is empty."  
"Yeah, and you rest or eat or whatever and they refill. So?"  
"When I was Kageri, this was true. Now, however...well. When I rest, they do indeed return. The only problem is that when they return, when the glass re-fills, there is less and less water each time."  
InuYasha frowned, "So...what happens when it runs out?"  
DarkWind shook his head, "I have no idea. Perhaps I will become a human."  
InuYasha blinked.  
"You...you're turning into a human each time you use your powers!?"  
"I believe so, yes."  
InuYasha stared, shocked. Horrified. He couldn't think of anything much worse.  
"Well...damnit, what do we do now!?"  
DarkWind blinked, "What do you mean?"  
"You can't use your powers! How close are we to that palace?"  
DarkWind looked at InuYasha, "I can still use my powers, InuYasha-Warrior. They are not gone."  
"But they're running out! You're turning into a freaking human to get me to Kagome!"  
DarkWind stared, and then suddenly smiled. It was a tired smile, but a warm one, all the same.  
He spoke gently, "This will not deplete my powers too much, InuYasha-Warrior, as long as I rest adequetely when needed. I will ensure such happens. But I thank you, greatly, for your concern."  
InuYasha crossed his arms, looking away, "Yeah, well, I just don't want to end up being stuck here somewhere because you can't get us back! _Or_ have Kagome blame _me_ when you end up pathethic and weak! _That's_ it."  
"Of course, I understand," DarkWind nodded, soothingly, "Now then. Let us go."

It was black.  
It was so black.  
Kagome stood in the cold blackness, lost, and confused.  
Where was she, and why was it so dark? There seemed to be nothing around her. No trees, no houses, no grass, no dirt, no sky, _nothing_.  
"H-Hello?" she hesitantly asked.  
Silence.  
She had a very bad feeling about it, something was so wrong. Something bad was going to happen.  
Suddenly, everything seemed to fall into place around her with a _thump_, as if the trees, the ground, the sky, everything, had literally fallen out of the sky to land beside her.  
She was on the path from the well. From the well to Kaede's village.  
_I..._  
Images came to her, one after another, slamming into her painfully.  
Kikyo.  
The strange man.  
The strange man somehow turning into...  
_Jemu_.  
He grabbed her, and slapped her, twice, and the pain shot through her face, as her head rocked back from the strikes. Striking the tree so hard her brain shut down for a moment. Hearing his gleesful voice as he came after her.  
The fear.  
The _fear._  
She came to with a gasp, sitting up in the furs, looking wildly around. It was so dark where she lay, and for a moment, her heart pounding, she expected Jemu to grab her, to start throttling her, laughing, his one ice green eye glittering as he strangled her.  
A faint light caught her eye, and she turned, looking out through a curtain of vines and flowers to see a large fire, and a few women sitting around it, talking lowly.  
Slowly, her surroundings came back to her, and she turned, looking at Megami as she slept beside her.  
Slowly, Kagome sank back down into the furs, but looked up at the ceiling of the cave over head, unable to sleep.  
She had been attacked by Jemu.  
And despite all her training with the Shikon, despite being so sure she was ready, she had fallen into nothing but blind panic, reacting like a child who had seen a scary mask. She had lost all her sense, and had panicked, and Jemu had been able to attack her.  
Shame filled her, shame and humiliation, and she closed her eyes, her face hot, and prayed with all her might that InuYasha hadn't come along after, and seen Jemu, and been hurt.  
Her inaction may have hurt InuYasha.  
_I did nothing. Nothing._

She arose the next morning feeling sickly. She was feeling weak and thin, because she hadn't slept well. Megumi noticed, and asked her if she was ok. Kagome smiled, and just said she was feeling under the weather due to all the stress.  
They had more rice for breakfast, and then they moved out of the grotto and sat near a river. Hotaru was there, and several other Wolf Demons, and Megumi.  
"The question is," Hotaru said, "How are we going to send you back to where you live. Hey, where _do_ you live, anyway?"  
"I live near...uh...well..." Kagome fell silent. It was difficult to explain. She doubted these people knew "Kaede's Village," "InuYasha's Forest", or "The Bone Eater's Well". And she didn't know the name of the larger towns around there that they _might_ know.  
"Well, she must live near Kouga's Pack," one of the other Wolf Demons said, "If he met her."  
"I do," Kagome nodded, "Pretty near."  
"That's pretty far away," Hotaru said, thinking, "Although we have gone to Kouga's before. We _could_ take her there. Kouga's her betrothed, after all!"  
Kagome sighed.  
Megumi spoke softly, "That might be a good idea. Kouga would see she was escorted safely back to her village."  
Kagome nodded. She knew Kouga would help her, although it was InuYasha she longed for. But it _was_ so far away.  
"Well, that journey would take a while," Hotaru said, and he looked apologetically at Kagome, "I don't mind helping you, Kagome, but the timing is really bad. What with Haruki stepping up his attacks..."  
"I understand," Kagome said quietly, "I..I can't really expect you to take me all the way home."  
"Nonsense! Kouga would kill me!"  
Megumi leaned over, and whispered lowly to Kagome, "I'll explain to him later, don't worry." She leaned back and spoke aloud, "Kagome, you're very welcome to stay with us for a while until we find some way to send you back. We have human friends, so you don't have to feel uncomfortable."  
Kagome smiled.  
"You know," Megumi said, "our neighbouring pack have those messenger birds."  
"Oh yeah!" Hotaru beamed, "You're a genius, Megumi!"  
Megumi blushed prettily.  
"Messenger birds?" Kagome asked.  
Megumi nodded, smiling at her, "They have these demon crows. They carry messages between the wolf packs. We've sent them to Kouga before. We could send one, and Kouga would find out you're here, and ok."  
"And he could tell...ah...my friends! Miroku and Sango!"  
"Does Kouga know them?"  
"Oh yes, he's met them before, he'll know where to find them!"  
"Well there you go!" Hotaru boomed, grinning, slapping his massive hands together, "We'll send a messenger bird tomorrow, once we send a runner to the other clan. Kouga will find out you're here, safe and sound, and he can let your friends and family know you're safe! At least then no one will be all panicked and worried about you, they'll know you're here with us!"  
Kagome clapsed her hands, "Thank you _so much_, you have no idea what this means to me!"  
Hotaru grinned, then stood up, "No worries! You seem like a nice gal!"  
Kagome smiled at Megumi, who smiled back.

"Well...there it is."  
DarkWind and InuYasha stood at the bottom of a tall hill. A long road led up towards the palace at the top.  
The palace was massive, pagoda-topped towers rising high into the air. The roofs were painted red tile, brilliant in the morning light. White walls encircled the palace grounds, easily over 10 feet tall. No vines or trees grew anywhere near the walls. The defensive measures taken were intense, and DarkWind narrowed his eyes slighty.  
As ex-Kageri, he was very used to military-style grounds, and that's what this looked like. The richness was obvious, and the lord of this palace went out of his way to show off his prosperity, but the tall, bare walls spoke of constant, or expected, attacks.  
"Let's go," InuYasha took a step forward.  
"A moment, InuYasha-Warrior."  
"What _now_!?"  
DarkWind pointed out what he had observed.  
"What are you saying?"  
"I am saying that you will have to keep your temper if you want information regarding Kagome-Master. This lord is most likely either a general or high-ranking military person, or has one at his command."  
"So?"  
"So he will not take lightly to having someone demanding answers from him aggressively."  
InuYasha turned, glaring at DarkWind, "You think I'm going to go in there begging and pleading?"  
"Of course not. But any Lord in there will be used to giving orders, not taking them. For Kagome-Master's sake, try to remain calm. This person _may_ be a friend of Kagome-Master's by now."  
"Alright, alright, fine! I get it!"  
The hanyou started up the long path, running at top speed. DarkWind fell in beside him, and they made their way to the giant doors of the gate. Before DarkWind could say anything, InuYasha raised a fist and pounded on the frame of the metal door with the edge of his fist, "_HEY!"_  
The door shivered under his blow. There was a startled exclamation from inside, and a small window in the door opened, a startled-looking man peering out.  
"I want to talk to whoever's in charge here!" InuYasha demanded.  
DarkWind mentally sighed.  
"You cannot just demand an audience with Lord Haruki!"  
"Yeah I can, I just did! I need to talk to him, now!"  
DarkWind pushed his way into view, "This is about a woman by the name of Kagome. We need to speak to the lord of the castle, please. It is _very_ important."  
"Go away! We don't want your kind here, hanyou!"  
The little window snapped shut.  
InuYasha's teeth audibly ground, and he was reaching for his Tetsusaiga, when he felt DarkWind's hand clamp down over his other wrist.  
There was a jump - very quick and more of a blink. InuYasha didn't have time to see the melting world, the running colors, before everything re-settled on the other side of the gate.  
DarkWind's voice was firm, and a little annoyed.  
"The woman's name is Kagome. We have reason to believe she is here. My friend does not have much patience, nor do I. Were I you, I would go and ask my superior if they did not really wish to speak to us after all."  
The guards blinked, shocked, as the hanyou and apparent human just appeared on the other side of the gate.  
The guards pulled their swords.  
Growling, InuYasha pulled Tetsusaiga. The blade flared to life with that unmistakable sound, and he held it out before him, pointing towards them, waiting.  
"Your move," InuYasha growled.  
They blinked.

DarkWind walked around the garden, looking it over.  
"Even the flowers here are planted in a strict regimen. It definately speaks of military training. The lord or prince of this castle was once in an army, I am sure of it."  
"I don't care, will you stop looking at the _flowers_!?" InuYasha glared at DarkWind, his arms crossed as he waited.  
One of the guards had left quickly after InuYasha had pulled Tetsusaiga, and apparently spoke to the ruler of the palace. They were then taken to the guarden to meet with him.  
"Lord Haruki, huh?" InuYasha said aloud, "Pretty delicate name for someone in the army. This guy probably bought his way to the top, like most of them. I doubt he can even hold a sword straight if his life depends on it."  
"Do not be overly arrogant, InuYasha-Warrior."  
"Will you get off my back!?"  
They both heard a door sliding open, and turned, to see several people walk out of the palace, and step down towards them. The first thing InuYasha noticed was that Kagome was not one of them.  
In the forefront, was a tall man with black hair, slender of form. His clothing was rich and highly decorative, and InuYasha looked him over closely.  
_Looks like a good gust of wind would knock him over._  
With him were several guards, weilding swords, and three archers with bows. Both DarkWind and InuYasha noticed right away that the archers had arrows on their strings, though they weren't drawn.  
The other person there was a lovely-looking woman with long dark hair and a lovely face. She was dressed like a doll, with fine silk robes, and her hair up in an exotic hairstyle.  
"I am Lord Haruki," the man said, "And this is my wife, Lady Mai. My guards tell me you have demanded an audience with me?"  
Again, InuYasha spoke before DarkWind could, "That's right, we're looking for Kagome. A woman named Kagome. Is she here?"  
The lord looked mildly surprised, "Kagome? You are friends of hers?"  
"We are, yes-" DarkWind began, but InuYasha interrupted him, "Is she here?"  
"She was attacked," the woman, Lady Mai, said, firmly, "How can we be sure you are not the ones who attacked her?"  
"I didn't attack Kagome!"  
"What is your name?" she asked.  
"InuYasha."  
"Ohh," Lady Mai seemed to breath out softly, sounding oddly sorrowed, "This is Kagome's beloved, husband."  
"I see," Lord Haruki said, his voice soft as well, "You have come a long way in a short time."  
"Is she ok?" InuYasha demanded, "Where is she? I want to see her."  
Lord Haruki looked sadly at his wife, and she took his arm, lightly patting his hand. For some reason, it made InuYasha feel cold.  
"Where is she?" he demanded again.  
"I am sorry, InuYasha," Lord Haruki said gently, "But I'm afraid Kagome died of her injuries yesterday."


	7. Reunion

InuYasha stared at the people before him, suddenly feeling like cold water had washed over him. Wide-eyed, he just stared, disbelieving.  
"She...she what?"  
"She passed due to her injuries," Lady Mai said, looking sadly at him, "I'm so sorry."  
"No, I...I that..." he suddenly narrowed his eyes, "I don't believe you."  
"I know it's hard," Lord Haruki said softly, "It was so sudden."  
"She wasn't that injured!" InuYasha said, angry, "She hardly bled!"  
Lady Mai and Lord Haruki exchanged glances, and Lady Mai spoke softly again, gently, "Our healers said she was badly injured inside. She bled inside herself, our healer said."  
InuYasha just stared, confused, trying to make sense of her words.  
"She spoke of you, as she faded," Lady Mai said softly, kindly, gently, "Of how much she loved you. Of how happy the two of you were, together. She spoke of how handsome and wonderful you were."  
InuYasha started to feel numb. There was a horrible sense of panic wanting to form, deep down inside, a desperate need to escape what he was hearing. A denial.  
"She...no.."  
InuYasha felt a hand on his arm, and he turned, to see DarkWind looking at him, intently.  
"InuYasha-Warrior," he said lowly, so only the hanyou could hear, but firmly, "Allow me to speak, and do not begin to despair. I have reason to suspect their words."  
Dazed, numb, InuYasha said nothing.  
DarkWind turned to Lady Mai and Lord Haruki, and spoke firmly, though not angrilly.  
"Forgive my friend, he is, as is understandable, quite upset by this news. Where is the grave?"  
"Grave?"  
"Yes. Where our friend was buried. I would like to pay my respects, and I think _he_ will need to visit it as well, to come to grips with what happened."  
Lady Mai smiled, but it was a smile that did not reach her eyes, the ex-Kageri noted. It seemed she was searching for something to say.  
"Well...her body has been prepared for burial, but we have not yet buried her. She-"  
"Good," DarkWind said, "We are in time for the funeral. Where is the body being stored?"  
"It...there's no need for you to see it, it will only cause you undue grief."  
"Undue grief?" DarkWind said, and shook his head, "He has just learned his love passed away. I think such things alraedy fall under the prospect of great grief, no?"  
By this time, InuYasha had grown aware of what was going on. DarkWind was questioning the Lord and Lady...and they seemed hesitant to let them see Kagome.  
"I want to see her," InuYasha said, stepping forward, "Where is she?"  
"Oh InuYasha," Lady Mai said, sorrowful, quiet, "Why don't you come inside and rest first? You must be tired-"  
"I _want_ to see Kagome. Where is she?"  
DarkWind gathered himself, and reached out. He reached for Tristar.  
It was hard. Neither Tristar nor DarkWind were really Kageri anymore. Kageri could normally reach each other, and speak, mentally, but now it was difficult. Distance made it worse, and they were very far away from each other.  
But Tristar remained strong. Before DarkWind had left, the other woman had hugged him tightly, and whispered that she loved him, was a little worried about him, but that she would be waiting for him, to return. To reach for her, if she needed her. She would be listening for him.  
He felt somewhat dizzy, but far, far away, over the great distance, his mind touched hers, and they spoke, quickly.  
Tristar agreed, and cut their conversation.  
DarkWind came back to the present, aware that now InuYasha had strode several steps forward, and was glaring up at Lord Haruki, his body tense.  
"You're hiding her here, somewhere, aren't you?! You've got her kidnapped! Bring her out! _Hand her over_!"  
"You do not tell me what to do, half-breed," Lord Haruki said, furious.  
InuYasha's grasped the hilt of the Tetsusaiga, "Where _is_ she?!"  
The guards behind Lord Haruki tensed, and they pulled their swords. The archers drew their strings, arrows pointing at the hanyou.  
DarkWind scowled, and reached beside him, one hand over each shoulder, reaching into empty air. He seemed to grasp something, and when he pulled his hands down, his two long smoky blades were drawn, long knives.  
"You cannot kill humans, InuYasha, not with Tetsusaiga," DarkWind said, lowly, "I will ensure the guards do not trouble you."  
InuYasha said nothing, but he nodded his thanks.  
"You are arrogant," Lord Haruki said, narrowing his own eyes. He pulled his sword, and Lady Mai backed away quickly, moving back towards the guards. Her eyes were on InuYasha, angry.  
"You got no clue," InuYasha grinned.  
Lord Haruki turned, looking at his guards, "Stand down. I will teach this _child_ a lesson. He's hardly a threat."  
InuYasha pulled Tetsusaiga. It flared to life, and he held it with both hands, waiting.  
Lady Mai gasped.  
"Well?" InuYasha grinned over the blade of Tetsusaiga, golden eyes burning into Haruki, "Come give me my lesson."  
Lord Haruki frowned, then lunged.  
He ran the gap that seperated them quickly, swinging his sword.  
He was fast. InuYasha had to give him that. He was fast.  
For a human.  
InuYasha danced backwards, and struck out with the flat of Tetsusaiga, striking the lord's blade with a loud _ting!_ Haruki's blade was knocked back.  
Lord Haruki wasn't knocked off balance, though, and he recovered quickly. Turning in place, he struck again, and again.  
InuYasha wasn't overly hard pressed, but he was kept defending himself rather than attacking. He was more curious as to the lord's ability. For a human, he was _very_ good, very fast. He didn't seem to need any time to recover, the way a lot of humans did.  
"Where's Kagome!?" he demanded, pushing back Lord Haruki, sending him back several feet, to land lightly on his feet.  
"You came a long way for something so common," Lord Haruki grinned, not even out of breath, "I'm surprised. I know you haven't yet claimed her physically...you must want her badly to chase her all the way down here."  
InuYasha said nothing, though he was silently outraged. It was none of this bastard's business what happened between him and Kagome! He knocked back another attack by the lord, "Tell me where she is! I know she was here!"  
"She was, yes," Lord Haruki said, pressing another attack, "And I enjoyed her, very much!"  
"What the hell do you mean, you enjoyed her?"  
"I took your propertly, hanyou," Lord Haruki laughed, "I claimed Kagome. She belongs to me, now."  
InuYasha blinked at Lord Haruki, stunned, eyes wide. Anger burned, _"You raped her!?"_  
DarkWind turned, blinking.  
InuYasha had lowered Tetsusaiga slightly, and Lord Haruki got in a clean hit, striking InuYasha along his left upper arm. InuYasha cursed, staggering backwards.  
"Rape? Not at all!" Haruki laughed, "She was quite willing. Don't worry, half-breed, I ensured she enjoyed it, which she did."  
Growling, InuYasha lunged forward, and using the flat of Tetsusaiga's blade, he knocked Lord Haruki back, hard. The lord staggered backwards, almost tripping but not quite, catching himself at the last minute. There was a gleeful grin on his face as he raised his sword again, "Angry, hanyou? I would be too, were I you. But that was simply your loss, you fool. She's _very_-"  
InuYasha struck again, "Kagome wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole, you idiot. I know better than that! I _know_ her!"  
"But that's where you're wrong, hanyou! You obviously don't know her!"  
"I know her bet-"  
"Those are terrible scars she carries, hanyou. Especially the one near her groin. Whatever happened to her? Did you get angry at her, one day?"  
Inside, InuYasha felt cold. How did Lord Haruki know about those? The one on her shoulder might be seen accidentally, but the one down low, where her body joined her leg, near her groin...that one could only be seen if she had been completely naked. Even that small _swimsuit_ thing she had worn once covered it.  
_InuYasha_ only knew about it because he had seen where the demon's talon had struck her when she had gotten the wound.  
He choked down his fury, and struck again, "You can flap your lips all you want, bastard, I know better. Where is she? _Where's Kagome!?"_  
At that moment, DarkWind called out, "She isn't here!"  
InuYasha's eyes slid, for a second, towards DarkWind, "Where is she?"  
Lord Haruki laughed, "I don't know. She spent the night with me, then dissapeared the next day. My pet demon has vanished as well, perhaps they ran away together. I don't think Kagome's morals are as high as you thou-"  
InuYasha lunged out, Tetsusaiga lowered, and his claws flashed.  
Lord Haruki leapt back, laughing. Lady Mai cried out, and Lord Haruki looked back at her.  
She was looking at him, pale.  
Lord Haruki looked down at himself, paling to see five long slashes in his robes, down over his chest and stomach. His skin peeped through.  
InuYasha growled, lowly, "You need to learn to shut up and quit while you're ahead."  
Lord Haruki's face turned brilliant red with fury.  
DarkWind moved towards InuYasha, his long knives dissapearing from his hands, "Come, InuYasha-Warrior. Tristar has sensed Kagome elsewhere. We must go."  
"Yeah," InuYasha slid Tetsusaiga back into the sheath. He looked over at Lord Haruki as DarkWind took ahold of his wrist.  
His eyes were cold, "When I find her, you better pray to the Gods you didn't hurt her, in any way, or so help me, I won't need a sword when I come back."  
Lord Haruki only grinned.  
They dissapeared from sight.

They reappeared a short distance away, in the forest. It had just been long enough that InuYasha's stomach was starting to protest, but he swallowed it back, angry. Haruki's words burned into his head, and he wanted to hit something, hard.  
"Well?" he demanded, "Where is she?"  
"I asked Tristar to search for her again, and she said she last sensed Kagome-Master a distance away, west. She crossed a river, drank, then moved on." The ex-Kageri turned, and started to walk. InuYasha fell in behind him. His hands were tight in fists, hidden in his billowing sleeves, his teeth clamped.  
Had he raped Kagome? That would explain how he knew about the scars. Unless one of the healers had seen it and told him?  
_Damnit!_ He wanted _answers_.  
"Well how was she? Was she ok? Was she hurt? Did she sense anything?"  
DarkWind kept walking, his voice carrying back to the hanyou, "She said she was bleeding very slightly, but nothing to worry about, InuYasha-Warrior."  
InuYasha nodded, then spoke again, "Tristar said she could tell what emotion she was having. How was she, was she ok?"  
"She did not say," DarkWind said, still walking.  
InuYasha's hearing was acute, and he clearly heard something in the ex-Kageri's voice. He hurried up and stood in front of DarkWind, angry.  
"Your tone changed. What did Tristar say?"  
"We should keep goin-"  
_"What did she say, damnit?"_  
DarkWind sighed, "She said Kagome-Master was upset. She was frightened and panicked. We need to keep going."  
InuYasha cursed.

Kagome pulled water from the lake, carrying it back to the fire. She put some on to boil, laughing at the wolf children that ran wild around the place. She found herself thinking of Sokai, and wondering how the little girl was doing.  
Kagome was pleased to see there were a few human children there as well.  
_It seems like, as time passes, human and demons are getting along better and better. Which makes me wonder, again, why there are no demons in my time. My history says a great Shogun wipes them all out, but I just can't see a human, even a Shogun, even a Shogun with an army, taking out such powerful demons like Sesshomaru. So if demons started posing less and less of a risk to humans, why would anyone wipe them out, and why aren't there any in my time?_  
She knew it was impossible that they had simply bred out. Fewer and fewer half-demons, one-quarter demons, etc etc. Demons lived so long. If Sesshomaru had a child - and Kagome shivered a little at that thought, an unpleasant shiver - it was possible it would be alive in _her_ time. Perhaps a little _old_ by then, but still alive. So...  
She shook her head, not knowing if she even wanted to know the answer.  
Kagome put the tea leaves in to boil. A shadow fell over her, and she looked up, smiling to see Megami.  
"Making tea?"  
"I thought I'd put some on, in case anyone else wanted some too." She looked at the sunlight streaming in through the hole overhead. Morning had moved on to afternoon. The wolf demons had hunted, and were starting to cook the meat over an open fire. Kagome found her mouth watering. She didn't know what they were cooking, and decided she probably didn't want to ask. It was probably something like boar or even bear, for heaven't sake. But she was starving.  
"I told Hotaru about you and Kouga."  
Kagome blinked, looking at her, "And...what did he say? Is he angry? He's not angry at me, is he?"  
"Hotaru?!" Megumi smiled, "No no, it's hard for Hotaru to dislike anyone. You really have to do something mean to him or someone he loves. He's...sad, because Kouga talked so fondly of you, but he won't drive you out or anything!"  
"Oh good. Besides," Kagome said, stirring the tea, and giving Megumi a very level look, "Kouga was _already_ betrothed to someone else anyway."  
Megumi blinked, and leaned forward, "Oooh?"  
Kagome grinned, "A wolf demon named Ayame. Apparently he told her he would marry her when she was little. She took that seriously."  
"Of course she would," Megumi smiled, knowingly, "A marriage proposal is never taken as a joke. Even if a child proposes to another child, Kagome, it's considered a serious proposal, to be acted on when they are younger."  
Kagome blinked, "Really?"  
"Oh yes. So it's very possible Kouga meant what he said when he said it to her."  
"He kept saying he couldn't remember saying it!"  
"Convenient," Megumi giggled, "Well, Kouga got himself into it, and now he has to honour it. What is this Ayame like?"  
"I like her," Kagome said, "She's very pretty, and very strong and skilled. I think she'd make an _excellent_ mate for Kouga."  
"Good," Megumi laughed, "It may take him some time, but he'll come around, I'm sure."  
"We found some better clothing for you, if you like," Megumi said, "I know humans feel odd wearing furs like that."  
"Thanks," Kagome laughed, "I keep making sure I'm not revealing anything."  
"Megumi! Megumi!"  
Kagome and Megumi looked up to see a younger wolf demon come running up, "Hotaru says for you and Kagome to come out to the waterfall!"  
They stood up, and Megumi asked, "What's going on?"  
"I'm not sure," the young wolf demon said, "He just said to come quick."  
Megumi looked at Kagome, "Go change, then we'll see what's going on."

InuYasha and DarkWind crossed the river, and kept moving. They ran lightly, but swiftly. InuYasha couldn't get the lord words out of his head, and he seethed inside. What had happened?  
"Damnit, how much father do we have to go!?" he growled, "Did she give any idea how far she was?"  
"No, InuYasha-Warrior, just that she was almost due east. We must be getting closer."  
"How did you know right off those two were lying?" he asked. He was annoyed with himself, pissed that he had started to panick so quickly, while DarkWind had remaiend calm.  
"I was Kageri once, InuYasha-Warrior. I spend many, many years, near centuries, working for people such as them. I have learned much from them, but the first thing I have learned is that powerful people do nothing without a reason. If they have no reason to lie, they may anyway, on the off change it _may_ become handy in the future. That was why I asked to see her grave."  
InuYasha nodded, but said nothing. It was a smart move.  
"That Lord Haruki - "  
"I think at that moment, the Lady Mai was more dangerous than the lord. Did you not notice how quickly she took over the conversation? An odd thing, with her husband right there. They are both very dangerous."  
"Did she honestly think I was going to just go in and sleep or something, thinking Kagome was dead!?"  
DarkWind said nothing. He had seen how the Lady had looked at the hanyou when she first saw him, and how she reacted when he pulled Tetsusaiga.  
The ex-Kageri thought the Lady Mai may have had something else in mind for the hanyou.  
"They are a dangerous pair," he repeated.  
"Yeah, I just can-"  
He slid to a stop, eyes wide. DarkWind ran a few steps ahead before realizing the hanyou wasn't with him. He stopped, looking back at InuYasha, who was looking around, almost frantic.  
"InuYasha-Warrior?"  
"I can smell her!" he said moving forward a few steps, looking around wildly, trying to home in, "I can smell Kagome!"  
"Recent?" DarkWind walked back to stand beside him.  
"No, faint, but still...it's there. Kagome!? _Kagome!?_"  
DarkWind looked around, unable to sense her, but not overly surprised. What he found odd, though, was that there were no buildings, nothing where she could be staying.  
He started to think the worst. Perhaps she had died? Anger started to form within him.  
"Hey."  
They looked up to see several people standing on a huge boulder, looking down at them. The one in front was huge, arms like treetrunks. He crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes.  
"Who are you?"  
"Who the hell are _you_!?" InuYasha demanded, growling, "Where is Kagome!?"  
"Kagome?" the huge demon asked, wary. His face was a poker mask, unreadable.  
"_Where is she? I know she's here somewhere! Kagome! Can you hear me!?"_  
"Who _are_ you?" the giant demon asked again.  
DarkWind, preparing to reach for his twin long knives, spoke, "His name is InuYasha."  
The huge demon blinked, "InuYasha?"  
He turned, and spoke to a younger demon who had been standing in the background. She nodded, and left quickly.  
"If you don't let me see her, I'm gonna start levelling this forest until I find her, you got that!?"  
"InuYasha-Warrior," DarkWind said lowly, "We must wait. We could endanger Kagome-Master by being hasty."  
InuYasha growled.  
The small young woman ran back, and whispered something lowly to the giant demon.  
He turned, and looked at InuYasha, "Yeah, we got Kagome. She'll be here in a minute, she's putting her clothes back on."  
InuYasha stepped forward, eyes wide, shocked, _"What!?"_  
The giant demon blinked, and raised two massive hands, palms out, in a peace gesture, "Whoa, whoa, sorry! Her clothes needed to be mended, and now she's changing back. She's with our women, calm down."  
InuYasha took a deep breath, trying to force back his anger. He glanced at DarkWind, and the ex-Kageri nodded, indicating they should wait.  
He heard a woman's voice, one he didn't recognise, "Hotaru? What's going on?"  
"Someone came looking for Kagome," Hotaru, the giant one in front, spoke.  
And then InuYasha heard her, heard her familiar voice, "Me? Someone came to see me here?"  
InuYasha blinked, and took several steps forward, calling out, "Kagome!? _Kagome!"_  
"_InuYasha?"_  
And then she appeared, running into view up on the boulder, blinking down at him, shocked. She was wearing plain brown pants and a short sleeved shirt, but she looked so beautiful to him.  
His heart stuttered just to see her, to see with his own eyes she was alive, that she seemed ok.  
She suddenly smiled, and before anyone could say anything, she jumped forward and slithered down off the boulder, running towards him.  
InuYasha took another few steps forward, sinking Tetsusaiga lightly into the grass beside him, where it morphed back into it's old form, and held his arms out to her.  
Kagome slipped into his arms, wrapping her own tight around him, clinging to him, and he wrapped his around her, tight, one hand on the back of her neck, just clutching her.  
They both started talking at once.  
"How did you fin-"  
"Are you ok, did you-"  
"..all the way down here, how-"  
"Followed your scent and I-"  
She pulled back, looking up at him, disbelieving, "How did you get _here_?"  
"Are you ok, Kagome?" he repeated, "are you hurt?"  
"Kagome-Master? You are well?"  
Kagome blinked, looking over InuYasha's shoulder to see DarkWind smiling at her.  
"DarkWind?!"  
She pulled away from InuYasha for a second - his arms tightened for a second, but he let her go, glaring at the ground.  
But Kagome only gave the ex-Kageri a very light hug of thanks, "What are _you_ doing here too?"  
"I am InuYasha-Warrior's horse!"  
Kagome blinked, then laughed, "Oh! Thank you!"  
InuYasha was about to say something, something angry and bitter, but he blinked when he felt her touch him, and he turned, his anger easing as she slipped right back into his arms, resting her head on his shoulder. InuYasha slid his arms tight around her again, and even in the midst of everything going on, he felt a surge of pride and satisfaction that she had come right back to him, to his arms. In front of DarkWind.  
"How did you know where to find me?" she asked them.  
"A kid in Kaede's village saw what happened. He told us, and Tristar was able to find you by searching in the water."  
"What water?" Kagome asked.  
"All of it," InuYasha answered, "throughout the entire land."  
Kagome looked stunned, looking from InuYasha to DarkWind. The ex-Kageri nodded, smiling, "It is true, Kagome-Master."  
"And you and InuYasha came here?"  
"Of course," InuYasha said lowly, "If this is where _you're_ to, this is where _I_ am."  
She looked at him, then rested her face against the soft curve of his neck. She had missed him, so much, and now, holding him tight, knowing he was there, that she was completely safe now, she felt almost drained. Like she wanted to sleep. Just close her eyes and finally relax.  
"Are you ok?" he asked her, lowly.  
"I'm ok," she said softly, eyes closed, feeling his pulse beating in his throat, inhaling that wonderful smell he carried with him.  
"Are you sure?" he asked.  
"Now that you're here, I'm fine," she said.  
He raised a hand, lightly smoothing her hair.  
DarkWind looked up at the gathered demons on the boulder, who were both watching, and trying to give the two their privacy at the same time. DarkWind smiled up at them.  
"I shall go and give our regards, and our thanks, to Kagome-Master's friends, then."  
InuYasha watched as DarkWind turned, and prepared to hop up to where they stood.  
"Thanks," he said, lowly.  
DarkWind looked over his shoulder, and smiled at InuYasha, nodding, then jumped up, using smaller outcrops as little stepping stones. He popped up to land beside them, and started to talk.  
"I missed you so much," Kagome said.  
InuYasha turned Kagome, and they walked a little ways from the others, his arm firmly around her.  
He didn't like Kagome's body language. She walked with her arms crossed over her chest, as if she was trying to hide herself somehow, or expected a physical blow.  
Or already had some.  
He remembered Jemu, and burned, but he choked it back. He needed to talk to her, and getting angry might only scare her.  
They came to a little grassy clearing alongside the river, and he sat, pulling her down to sit beside him. She sat beside him, but put her arm around him again, leaning against him. She seemed to need physical contact, and he slipped his arm around her again as well.  
"You sure you're ok?" he asked, lowly.  
"Yeah," she said, resting her head against his shoulder, and wrapping her left arm around him, leaning against him.  
They watched the river in silence for a little while, each drinking in the feel and the scent of the other, revelling in the touch.  
"What happened, Kagome?" InuYasha asked, softly, and beside him, he felt her tense.  
"Huh," she said lowly, and suddenly there was a bitterness in her voice, "Guess you were right. Guess I'm not ready for any of this after all."  
"Kagome?"  
"Jemu showed up, and I panicked like a little girl, didn't I? I had the stupid Shikon around my neck, and all I did was scream and panic." She repeated Kikyo's words, "Just a little girl pretending to be a woman."  
"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked, and he sounded angry, "Of _course_ you panicked! He killed you, Kagome. And gave you agony! What kind of sick, twisted person would you be if you _hadn't_ gotten scared?"  
"You don't understand," she said, sounding miserable, "You're never scared, you're ready for everything."  
He fell silent, wanting to make her feel better, and yet now wanting to look like something less in her eyes. He spoke, "That...not always."  
"Oh come off it, InuYasha," she said, "Like you're ever scared of someone. Even when Neith had you and you got away, all you wanted to do was find him again and kill him! You never panicked and ran."  
Growling in exasperation, he pulled her slightly away from him, so he could look at her.  
"Have you forgotten who the hell I am? I've been fighting all my life. I've been fighting since I was old enough to grow _claws_. You become _forced_ to live that way, you tend to lose your fear after a while, because you'd just curl into a ball and strave to death or something! I...I've been afraid before, Kagome. I was just a lot younger, that's all. And I never had happen to me what happened to you."  
"What was the point of learning to use the stupid thing if I can't!?"  
"You can and you _did_!" he said, angry, "Or was Xether a mistake? Phobia? You destroyed Xether, Kagome, and you broke Phobia's spell using the Shikon."  
She sighed, and leaned against him, feeling a small bit mollified.  
They were silent again for a little while, and then he spoke again, lowly.  
"What happened at Haruki's?"  
He felt her stiffen again, and she spoke quickly.  
"Nothing."  
Too quickly.  
"Kagome."  
"Nothing, InuYasha."  
"Arrogant bastard, isn't he?"  
She blinked up at him, "You _met_ him?"  
"Tristar said that's where you were, so yeah, we went there." He studied her, "He said that you and him..."  
"No," Kagome shook her head quickly, black hair whipping back and forth, "No, nothing happened."  
"Then how did he know about your scars, Kagome?"  
She fell silent, watching him.  
"He knew about them. Both of them."  
Kagome sat back, and looked out to the river. The words started to rush out, like the river water, "It wasn't me. It was another girl, and they made her look like me, and he was with _that_ girl, but not me. It wasn't me."  
"Uh-huh," he said, gently, and took her chin in his hand, turning her head so she looked at him, "And why did they 'make her look like you'?"  
Kagome looked at him, and she looked miserable. A bad feeling started to form in his gut.  
Kagome read his expression, and she leaned forward, "No, nothing happened, InuYasha. But...it...it was close."  
He frowned, "How close are we talking?"  
Kagome turned, and looked back out to the river, suddenly unable to meet his gaze. She had no idea why, it was stupid. She did nothing wrong. And nothing had happened. But she almost felt like she was branded, like everyone she met would be able to look right at her and know, "She was almost raped."  
"Kagome."  
"If some guards hadn't shown up and told him he was under attack, he would have succeeded," she said, trying to keep her voice level.  
Silence from behind her.  
"I..thought he was going to ...do it anyway, even under attack, right in front of his men," she started to shiver, and she wrapped her arms around herself.  
Still silence from behind her, but she felt him gently take ahold of her, and pull her back to rest against him, and he wrapped his arms around her, and she felt safe, and warm, and protected. Tears pricked her eyes, and she cursed at their silliness until they went away.  
"Until Jemu is killed, you're not going anywhere by yourself."  
"InuYasha, no, I...I can't."  
"You can and you are," he said, shockingly calm and quiet, but in his voice was a tone she had never heard before; an absolute finality.  
"If not me, then Sango or Miroku. He wants revenge on you, and as a Shadeling, he can move too damn easily, just popping up like that."  
"I was worried you had found me and then he had attacked you, and..."  
He said nothing, they were silent.  
In the back of her mind, Kagome couldn't help wonder why InuYasha wasn't raging at Haruki, wasn't furious. After a minute, she spoke.  
"You...you're taking it well."  
"Hmmm?"  
"Haruki. What he did..."  
His arms tightened a little, then relaxed, and he spoke, next to her right ear.  
"There's no sense in raging or screaming or yelling. He's dead. He just doesn't know it yet."  
Kagome blinked, leaning forward, looking up at him, "InuYasha!"  
He gently smoothed her hair, speaking softly, "He's dead. I'm going to bring back some proof to you that he's dead. I promise you that."  
"No! You can't!"  
InuYasha looked amused, "How long have you known me? You think I'm gonna just sit here-"  
"He has a powerful demon with him! He'll kill you!"  
"Not like-"  
"You can't! Forget it!"  
"Haruki said his 'pet demon' had left. He's not there anymore. Not that that would stop me."  
"InuYasha..."  
He was actually scaring her with his calm behavior. Instead of raging and ranting and cursing, he was so assured and quiet. Like a mountain or something, just...sure. His behavior said he was so sure of what he was going to do, there was no point in getting angry. In his mind, it was already done, and over.  
"I don't want you to get hurt!"  
"Then I won't," he said, with that infuriating calm tone to his voice, the one Kagome thought would make her scream in frusteration.  
"As simple as that, huh!?" he yelled.  
"Yeah," he said simply, and pulled her in, and kissed her.  
Kagome meant to pull back, but couldn't. Instead, she found herself leaning in, wrapping her arms around him, and returning his kiss. She had missed him, so much, had been so scared.  
There was plenty of time to prevent him from going after Haruki. Later.


	8. Retribution

Kagome awoke slowly in the early morning. She wasn't aware of just what awoke her, but she lay there for a few minutes, drowsing, not sure if she actually thought she heard something, or only dreamed she had.  
They had talked some more, her and InuYasha, before returning to the others. InuYasha hadn't been overjoyed to discover the huge wolf demon was Kouga's cousin, but he still felt he owed them something for having helped Kagome. After a while, the hanyou started to discover he kind of liked the giant wolf demon. Hotaru was so loud, so over exuberant about everything, quick to laugh and grin, he started to remind InuYasha of Miroku.  
When they had walked back, Kagome hadn't been to surprised to discover that DarkWind had made friends quickly. The ex-Kageri was as charming and pleasant as always, and she also was surprised to discover he seemed to have picked up a small retinue of female wolf demons. No longer a Kageri, DarkWind didn't exude that erotic quality he always had, but Kagome was amused to discover he was still very appealing to the opposite sex. There was a female wolf demon on each side of him, and even three kneeling on the ground beside him, looking up at him as he spoke. Some of the male wolf-demons didn't look particularily happy with this new arrangement.  
Hotaru looked up at InuYasha and Kagome as they walked up, and spoke.  
"DarkWind here tells me Haruki said Kenpeki has gone missing."  
InuYasha nodded, "If that was the name of his 'pet demon', yeah. He said he thought maybe him and Kagome had run off together."  
Beside him, still holding his hand, Kagome shivered, "Never in a million years."  
"I don't like the thought of that creature wandering around. He's a menace."  
"But he's only one demon," InuYasha said, "And there are a lot of you."  
"You don't know Kenpeki," Hotaru said lowly.  
Kagome spoke, "I talked to him for a moment," she said, glossing over what happened in the garden, "He reminds me very much of Sesshomaru."  
InuYasha snorted, "Perfect."  
That night she slept under the night sky, outside the grotto, near the fire. Several wolf demons slept out there, the ones on patrol. InuYasha and DarkWind wouldn't be allowed in the women's and family grotto, and she didn't want to spend a night away from InuYasha. After eating a light supper, and talked around the fire a little, they bunked down.  
Kagome laid down, perparing to share her blankets with InuYasha, as they had before, her under one, him atop that one, and under another one. She was startled when he slipped under her blanket, and laid on his left side. Kagome stretched out on her right, and they spoke quietly.  
"I want you to promise me you're not going to go after Haruki," she said.  
InuYasha didn't even consider it, "No."  
"I'm serious about this!"  
"So am I."  
"If you do, I'll 'sit' you into next month!"  
He shrugged, "That's your choice."  
"Argh! Stop being so calm about this!"  
He half-smiled, amused, "Never thought I'd hear you say that to me."  
"This isn't funny!"  
He shrugged again, making her want to strangle him.  
Kagome rolled over onto her left side, away from him, "I'm not talking to you."  
She glowered at the tree, opposite the little clearing, blinking, startled, when she felt him shift, slide next to her, sliding one arm around her. His chest was against her back, arm resting lightly around her waist. When he spoke, his voice came from right behind her head, at the base of her neck, his breath warm against her skin.  
"Go to sleep, Kagome. I'm right here."  
Her face was a brilliant red, but she relaxed, and after a while, lulled by his scent, the feel of his arm around her waist, felt him rest his head, his face against the back of her shoulder, and her eyes grew heavy, and she fell into sleep.

Now, rising out of sleep, she stirred, and looked around.  
It was very early morning; the sun hadn't risen yet, stars still visible in the sky. The trees could just be made out against the darkening sky.  
She wasn't that surprised when she rolled over to discover she was alone.  
Upset, but not surprised.  
Cursing under her breath, she kicked back the blanket, and stood up, startling the two wolf demon guards that were sitting by the fire. Kagome turned on a heel, and started out of the clearing, moving as quickly as she could towards the path that led from the pack's ground.  
Before she got more than 5 steps, DarkWind appeared, and lightly took her arm, pulling her to a stop.  
"DarkWind?"  
"It is early yet, Kagome-Master. You should still be sleeping."  
"Where is he? _Where's InuYasha_!? He left, didn't he? He's gone after Haruki!"  
"He is, yes," DarkWind agreed.  
"Then let me go, I have to stop him!"  
"He is long gone now, Kagome-Master. Besides, he asked that I ensure you stay here in the camp."  
Kagome looked at him, startled, "What?"  
"Yes. Both Hotaru and I were to ensure you stayed here if you awoke before he returned."  
"No, Darkwind! Why didn't you go with him!?"  
The ex-Kageri shook his head, "I offered...in fact, I pleaded. But he insisted this was something he do alone. I understood his desire to right this wrong, and so we both agreed."  
"He'll be killed!"  
"No, I do not think so. He told me he was not going to challenge Haruki in open combat.  
He has something else planned."  
Kagome blinked.

The sun was not yet near the horizon as the hanyou made his way to the tall wall. He kept Tetsusaiga sheathed. Tonight he wasn't going to fight.  
The crimson of his haori looked like black ink in the darkness of the early morning. The stars up above were diamond bright when he glanced up to check the time.  
He gathered himself, and leapt the wall easily, landing silently in the garden on the other side.  
He didn't move, remained on one knee, listening.  
He heard nothing.  
He stood up, and looked around.  
No one was around. It was silent.  
Soft movement caught his attention, and he flicked an ear, hearing an approaching guard on his rounds.  
He leapt into the air, landing lightly on the tiled roof overhead. He crouched, watching as they passed by beneath him.  
Had they looked up at that moment, they would have seen a figure crouched on the rooftop, peering down at them, two eyes glowing eerily down at them.  
He waited until they passed, then keeping low, he moved along the rooftop, searching for a specific window.  
He could see candlelight leaking out from one window below him, high in the palace. The candle light struck a flag opposite the window, making it glow brightly.  
He stayed there for a while, letting his nose tell him what he wanted to know.  
There was one human male inside, that was all.  
If it was Lord Haruki, he was alone. Odd, but then perhaps he preferred his privacy at these late hours. Certainly he was under the impression he was safe.  
InuYasha moved towards the edge of the roof, silently, and leaned over. He grabbed the edge of the roof.  
He leapt over the edge, sliding through the open window as silent as a moonbeam, and crouched.  
Lord Haruki sat at his desk, writing. His long hair was undone, a single candle burned on his desk, another on the far wall. The room was indeed empty.  
Haruki didn't look up, didn't pause writing.  
"Who're you writing?" soft, quiet.  
He had the pleasure of seeing Haruki jump, startled, and he looked over his shoulder.  
Seeing InuYasha, he started to move, to stand, mouth opening to call for his guards.  
The Tetususaiga flared to life as InuYasha drew it, and his voice was calm and level.  
"Ah-ah. Not a sound. Not a twitch. Pull that chair over here, and sit."  
The lord's face flushed red with fury, but he was no fool. He pulled the chair away from the desk - the european style furniture evidence of his fortune - and sank into it.  
"Better," the hanyou smiled, and it wasn't a particularly nice smile. He walked towards Haruki.  
The human lord watched him with angry, and a little fear, but he kept it hidden well, "Are you going to kill me? You think you'll get away with it?"  
"Why wouldn't I?" he asked.  
"My guards will kill you."  
InuYasha gave a lazy shrug, "I don't see them around. Last I heard, dead men don't talk much."  
Silence.  
"But no, I'm not going to kill you. I _would_, but I don't want to mess up my blade with filty blood. On top of that, I don't want to upset Kagome. I think you put her through enough for now."  
The lord smiled cruelly, "Does she miss me? Does she yearn for my touch?"  
But if he thought he was going to bait the hanyou, he was dissapointed, "Like a wart. I don't think you were as aware of what was going on as you thought. But that's neither here nor there. I'm here to get revenge for her. So you might want to hold still."  
Lord Haruki was about to ask what he was going to do, when the hanyou moved behind him, and suddenly grabbed a handful of the lord's hair, yanking his head back slightly.  
There was a strange pulling sensation, then release, and the human lord sat still, confused.  
Unill a mass of black settled in his lap.  
"I don't need all this," InuYasha said, "Just a lock will do."  
Lord Haruki looked down in horror at the mass of his long black hair now lying curled in his lap. One hand shot to the back of his head, where he felt the ragged ends of his hair, cut right to the nape of his neck.  
"You bastard," Lord Haruki hissed.  
InuYasha tucked a long lock of it into his haori, shrugging.  
Suddenly, he grabbed the edge of Haruki's chair and slammed it over backwards, onto it's back on the floor. The force of it's impact caused the back of the chair to splinter with a loud crunch.  
On his back, Haruki looked up into the hanyou's face as InuYasha crouched next to him.  
"I thought you weren't going to kill me!?"  
"I'm not. I came to get revenge for Kagome. And I did."  
He grinned.  
"Now it's my turn."  
Haruki took a breath to scream for his guards, but a hand clamped down over his mouth with the weight of a boulder. He literally felt his jaw hinge creak.  
"You know," the hanyou said, almost conversationally, "in a lot of villages and towns, the punishment for theft is to have both your hands hacked off. But I'm not really in the mood for _that_ much blood right now. So I'm just going to give you a little...something...that lets people know you have a tendancy to touch ...what isn't yours to touch."  
Haruki's eyes opened wide.  
InuYasha moved his other hand towards the lord's face, "Don't move, my hand's not all that steady at this."

Kagome paced around the fire, around and around and around. The sun had started to rise, the sky turning yellow and pale pink. Birds had just started to sing.  
"He will be fine, Kagome-Master," DarkWind said, "You know InuYasha-Warrior's abilities."  
"I also know his temper," she said, "He's gonna go thundering in there, and Haruki will call his guards, and InuYasha will be overwhelmed by humans. He'll have to kill them, and he doesn't _want_ to kill humans."  
DarkWind wasn't sure the hanyou would stop himself from killing humans if his own life was in danger, but he was saved from having to speak when he heard Kagome suddenly cry the hanyou's name.  
InuYasha came walking into the clearing, brilliant crimson and silver against a pale green background, looking around as if he were surprised to see so many up.  
"InuYasha!" Kagome cried again, and ran towards him. InuYasha stopped, and smiled at her.  
"You _idiot_!" she cried, throwing herself at him, wrapping her arms around him, tight, "I should sit you into next year!"  
InuYasha grinned, letting her rage against him for a minute while she got herself under control. After a moment, she caught her breath, and looked up at him, worried, "Are you alright? Are you ok?"  
"I'm fine," he shrugged.  
"_Why_ did you go after I asked you not to?" she demanded.  
He shrugged again, "It's a guy-thing."  
Kagome groaned, dropping her head. She was really starting to hate that saying.  
"Here."  
Kagome looked up as InuYasha reached into his haori and pulled out a long loop of something black. She held it for a second before realizing was it was.  
She paled, "You cut his _hair_?"  
InuYasha nodded, watching her.  
Kagome stared at the hair, quietly horrified.  
Lord Haruki was a lord. He had been a samurai and now a lord. To have his hair cut was the ultimate insult. In one move, InuYasha had removed the physical symbol of his honor, his respect, and his title. When a samurai was ritually cast out, when they became ronin, their hair was just to show their dishonor.  
What InuYasha had done was likely to have made him a lifelong enemy of Haruki.  
"Are you alright?" he asked, softly.  
"I just...he's...he'll probably hunt you down now or something. You shouldn't have done it."  
InuYasha lightly rested his hand on her head, smoothing her hair, "Yes I should have. No one touches you without your permission, Kagome. No one."  
Kagome looked up at him again, and leaned in, wrapping her arms around him, feeling him hold her back, and she thought she was going to just melt.  
A few minutes later, she heard one of the wolf demons behind her give an unholy hollar, and both InuYasha and Kagome turned.  
The wolf demons were grabbing up their weapons, and pointing them at Mikado, who had just materialized right in their midst.  
The Senmin looked around, ignoring the panicked wolf demons, until her eyes settled on InuYasha, DarkWind, and Kagome.  
_"There_ you are!" she said, walking towards them, "Are you crazy, InuYasha!? You know everyone back at Kaede's is ready to skin you alive and hang you up to dry?"  
InuYasha lowered his ears, "Uh...yeah..."  
Kagome looked confused, "What? Why?"  
"Because he took off without telling anyone, the moron!" Mikado put her hands on her hips, "First _you_ vanish, and then _he_ vanishes!" She turned and glared at a lone, brave wolf demon, who was creeping up on her, spear in hand.  
"Oh stop that!" she snapped, and the wolf demon fell over himself trying to back off.  
Kagome looked at InuYasha, horrified, "You left without telling anyone!?"  
"Hey I left a note!" he protested.  
"Is _that_ what you called those scratches? Luckily Kirara found it at all. I think Izumi, Kaede, Miroku, Shippo and Sango are planning some nasty things on your return, buddy."  
InuYasha cringed.  
"Who the hell is this?" Hotaru suddenly asked, walking into the midst of it all, after a wolf demon had run to get him.  
"She's a friend," Kagome said, quickly, "And she can be completely trusted. She's going to help us get back...right?" the last was asked of Mikado.  
The other woman nodded, and then turning a surprisingly charming smile on Hotaru. She bowed, "Greetings to you, Hotaru, leader of the Green River Wolf Pack. Blessings on you and yours."  
Hotaru blinked, "You know me?"  
Mikado just smiled, and managed to look mysterious. Kagome thought Izumi's training was finally paying off.  
"Come on, come on, we have to get going," Mikado said to DarkWind and the others, "Time's a wasting."  
Kagome ran over to Hotaru, and startled him by giving him a hug. It looked like a child hugging a tree, "Thank you so much, Hotaru, for saving me, and letting me stay with your pack."  
"Ahh, it was nothing! Couldn't let a nice gal like you down!" he boomed, and patted her roughly on the back.  
Kagome hugged Megumi, and whispered in her ear, "Don't give up on him, Megumi. If you love him, stay strong."  
Megumi sighed, but smiled, and nodded.  
She walked back to where her friends were waiting. Mikado closed her eyes, made a slight motion with her hands, and everything faded.

Lady Mai ran down the hallway, her sleeping robe untied and loose. She had heard a guard call for a healer to attend Lord Haruki, and now she ran to his room.  
At the door, she tried to get in, but a guard stopped her.  
Furious, Lady Mai drew herself up and gave the guard a tongue lashing, and the guard cringed away, letting her enter.  
Lady Mai strode into the room ahead of the healer, "Husband? Haruki?"  
"Get out!" came an enraged voice from behind a room divider.  
"What has happened!?" she asked, moving behind the room divider.  
She saw Haruki standing there, looking into a mirror that was hanging on the wall. he held a bloody washcloth to his forhead, which was dripping reddish water into the basin below.  
"Haruki!? What happened!?"  
"I'll kill him!"  
"Who!?"  
"That bastard hanyou! I'll mount his head on a pole in front of my palace!"  
As Mai walked towards him, she suddenly realized that he didn't have his hair tucked down inside his robe, as she had first thought, but that he had _no hair at all_. The ends were hacked, and came right to the nape of his neck.  
Before she could make sense of this, Haruki turned, glaring at her, lowering the bloody washcloth from his forhead.  
Mai gasped.  
There, carved into the skin on his forhead, was the kanji symbol for 'thief'. Blood tricked down between his eyes.  
"I'm going to kill InuYasha with my bare hands!"

END


End file.
